


Someone Else ~ Fred Weasley

by stilinski_O_Brien



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 92
Words: 124,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27788431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stilinski_O_Brien/pseuds/stilinski_O_Brien
Summary: “I don’t think I’m ready to love someone else.”
Relationships: Cedric Diggory/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

"Why can't I come with you?" I smile at my younger brother tenderly, "I wish you could Draco, but you know that you have to wait till you're eleven." He pouts up at me, "but that's in two years, how am I supposed to spend two years without you?" I try and bite back my smile, "I'll be home for the holidays and school isn't a full year." I assure him, "all the holidays?" He asks holding his pinky out, "all the holidays." I repeat hooking his pinky with mine. 

"Draco you better not be in there bothering your sister, you know that she needs to get ready to leave." Both of our moods sour as we hear our fathers voice, "it's ok Draco you never bother me." I whisper over to him making him grin brightly before father enters the room. "Draco leave at once, go and bother someone else." I frown as I watch how his smile drops and he leaves the room with his head bowed, "are you ready Lyra?" I nod making him smile, "get a move on, Dobby!" One of our house elves appears at the shout, "yes master malfoy?" Father grimaces at the poor creature, "take Lyras trunk down at once." Dobby nods and does what father demands. 

"Now Lyra you know that we expect you to be in Slytherin?" I nod, "yes father." I mumble wishing he would leave me alone. "And no fraternising with mudbloods." I nod once more. "Good girl, we're leaving soon don't be late." He says before finally leaving me be as soon as he leaves I feel a breath of relief escape, one thing I couldn't wait for was to be free from fathers judgmental gaze I just hated that Draco would be left here alone.

* * * 

Once we arrive at the train station a family catches my eye immediately, there's seven of them in total, one woman with six children all have red hair they must be the, "Weasleys." My father spits out harshly in disgust as though the very word brought a bitter taste to his mouth. I frown over at them watching the smiles on all of their faces, there was five boys and one girl, the oldest from the bunch was handsome no doubt, I watched for a second as he helped his mother rally the other children. There were a pair of twins identical, grinning mischievously I quickly hid my smile as I watched them after father squeezed my shoulder tighter than necessary. "And absolutely no fraternising with the Weasleys." He tells me in a hard tone I nod before looking back at them one last time, they looked so loving, so warm. 

* * * 

"Take care dear, and write to us often." Mother says as she leaves a tender kiss on my head, I would miss my mother terribly as well, her and Draco were my whole world and I did love my father but I just wished that he was different. 

"Bye mother, Father." Mother squeezes my hand and Father simply nods, "bye Draco." I say to my young brother who was still pouting softly at the thought of us being separated, he pushes forward and hugs me making me smile, "remember you said every holiday." He reminds, "every holiday." I confirm kissing the top of his head before father pulls him off of me. "Enough of that Draco, let Lyra leave." Draco nods sadly and so I wink at him making him smile slightly. 

Once I board the train I quickly find an empty compartment, hoping that no one will enter I was slightly afraid to converse with the other children, what if they didn't like me? That could be avoided if I just didn't speak to anyone. 

My peace was disrupted when two figures entered, "oh sorry to startle you, we can't find any other compartments with any space, you don't mind do you?" Before I can even reply the twins make themselves comfortable, "thanks." They say as I just watch them a bit dumbstruck for a second. 

"Hello there I'm Fred and this is George." I smile and wave, "George don't mess with her, I'm Fred and he's George." The other one pipes up making me look between them in confusion, "so you're Fred and you're George?" I ask unsurely making them grin, "maybe." They say in unison. "And you are?" Well if they were Weasleys then there was no doubt that their father Arthur would hate mine as much as my father hated him, and I didn't want them to hate me, not yet at least. 

"Lyra." I say simply making their eyebrows furrow, "got a last name Lyra?" It was slightly unnerving the way that the two of them spoke in perfect synchronisation. "Maybe." I echo what they had said earlier with a knowing smirk making both boys grin at each other. "You hear that Freddy?" The supposed Fred nods, "sure did." Then they both turn back to me, "we like you." I wondered how long that would last. 

• • •

"Whoa." I can't help the gasp that escapes me once the school is in sight, the castle it was breathtaking I couldn't wait to reach it. We follow after the Professor who introduces herself as Professor McGonagall and into the large dining hall, "wicked." I hear the twins whisper as we look up to see the enchanted ceiling it was beautiful just like the whole castle. "When I call your name come and sit on the stool where you'll be sorted into your appropriate house." I feel my palms begin to clam up, I had to get Slytherin otherwise there was no telling how mad father would be. "What house are you hoping for?" The twins ask me, "we want Gryffindor of course." I force a smile, "I don't mind." I lie, Gryffindor sounded nice but non of the other houses were options for me it had to be Slytherin. 

"Lyra Malfoy." I hear the twins soft gasps at my surname and I avoid their gaze as they share a look, great they probably hated me now and it would only get worse once I got my house, it was common knowledge that the Slytherins and the Gryffindors didn't particularly like each other. "Aah curious, curious indeed." The hat says as it lands on my head, "Slytherin please." I say cutting right to the point, "Slytherin?" The hat asks making me nod, "yes please." It pauses a second, "are you sure, you could do tremendously in Gryffindor." I shake my head, "Slytherin." I demand making the hat sigh, "well alright it better be SLYTHERIN!" I feel like I can finally breath clearly as I make my way over to the table who were cheering wildly for me. The twins got Gryffindor of course but they didn't look at me again during the whole ceremony or feast.


	2. T W O

5 years later

"Honestly Draco, you should've listened to what Hagrid told you." I tell my brother who was currently in the hospital wing due to him being obnoxious and not listening. "Lyra do you not even care about me, it could have killed me." I bite back a smile at his dramatics, "well it didn't, you're fine Draco." He huffs and turns away from me, "Draco, come on don't be a baby." That doesn't seem to make him any happier, "oh no my poor little baby brother how are you even alive right now? Oh merlin the wound is terrible we should be getting emergency care." I overdramatise as I pretend to fuss over him making him giggle. "Stop it Lyra." He says through the laughter, "happy now?" He nods, "very." I grin, "wonderful, I'll see you later you big baby." I tell him making him roll his eyes, "don't call me a baby." I smirk, "or what you'll tell father?" That gets him, "very funny." He says sarcastically as I shrug, that's what he got for saying 'wait till my father hears about this.' Every two minutes. 

I hurry out of the hospital wing not wanting to be late to potions, Snape was the worst professor to be late too. I halt at the sight before me, pressed up against the corridor was my boyfriend his lips locked with a Ravenclaw girl who was hanging all over him. I feel a mixture of anger and sadness brew as they continue blissfully unaware that I was stood watching. "Ok Emily, I love you but I have to go before-" 

"Before what? Your girlfriend sees?" I question watching how he turns to face me wide eyed, "Lyra, w-what are you doing here?" He asks making me scoff, "in the corridor, which is open for anyone to see? I'm watching my ex boyfriend get his face sucked off apparently." I shrug watching his eyes widen further, "ex?" I nod, "Lyra-" 

"It's ok Adrian you've upgraded." Emily smirks at me as she drapes an arm over Adrian who shrugs her off, "shut up Emily, Lyra you can't, I love you." I shake my head with a laugh. "If you loved me you'd be faithful to me not with this." I say gesturing to the girl beside him. "He said he loved me." She boasts making me smile amused, "he also just said that to me so you're not special love, he couldn't even make the effort to find a broom closet." I tell Emily pitying her slightly, she gasps offended and then tries to hex me which I deflect back to her, laughing into my hand as red boils take over her face and she screams. "Might want to get those checked out." I offer, "Lyra..." I shake my head and try to pull my arm from his grasp, "unless you want to be next let me go." He does so with a sad sigh, "bye Adrian have fun with Evelyn." I say before turning around and walking away. "It's Emily." She calls out after me, "Ok Emma." 

Once I'm gone from their view I allow myself to cry, it hurt knowing the boy you had loved and devoted yourself too could just cheat on you like that, find another girl to whisper the same lies he would tell you. What had I done wrong? We were so happy at least I thought we were did the two years we spent together mean nothing to him? Did I mean nothing? Was I not enough? 

My eyes widen as I realise the time and then I sprint to the potions classroom, "miss Malfoy, I suggest not cutting it so close next time." Snape drawls as I enter the room and take my seat, Fred and George come running in just a second after I do. "Weasleys it would do you well to learn how to be punctual, ten points from Gryffindor." Fred and George don't seem too phased as they take their seats. 

"Oi Malfoy, have you been crying?" Fred whispers over from his seat beside me, "shove off Weasley." He raises his hands and moves away. We get on with our assignments, my potion going rather well, until it blew up in my face. I hear the laughter from a certain set of twins letting me know what had gone wrong, usually the twins pranks didn't bother me, I didn't take it personally because they pranked everyone. I found them rather amusing actually but not today. Not right now, it just made me want to start crying, why was everything just so awful? 

I do cry as soon as I leave the room, today was just horrendous everything was blowing up in my face, literally. "Hey Malfoy." I ignore Fred calling after me, "Malfoy, I'm sorry I thought it'd make you laugh." He says as he catches up and turns me around to face him, his face falling slightly at the tears. "Lyra." I pull away, "just leave me alone, please Fred." He does what I ask and so I turn away making my way to the astronomy tower. 

"Oh sorry didn't know it was occupied." I hear a voice say making me turn to see Cedric a Hufflepuff boy from my year, "it's ok, you can sit." I shrug moving over, "do you come here often?" He asks me as he sits down beside me. "Sometimes, the stairs aren't easy to tackle regularly." I answer leaning forward against the railing. "Yeah, that's why I'm so glad you let me sit, I wasn't ready to go down all that again." He says making me laugh as I glance at him. "Have you been crying?" He asks me noting the shiny teardrops on my face. 

I nod and then face forwards again resting my head on my arms, "I'm sorry." I turn to him once more, "it's because of Adrian and Emily isn't it?" Well I guess news sure does travel fast here. I nod, "what a prat, you could do so much better." He tells me making me smile, "really?" He nods, "there's tons of guys who'd kill to be with you." That makes me laugh, "I'm being serious." I shake my head as I smile at him, "I think you've got the wrong girl." 

"You are Lyra Malfoy aren't you?" He asks making me nod, "well then I've got the right girl, smart funny and beautiful? You're the whole package Lyra." I laugh again leaning into Cedric who begins to laugh with me, "what's so funny?" He asks, "no one thinks that about me." I tell him."I do."


	3. T H R E E

"Lyra don't tell me it's true?" I turn to my younger brother in confusion, "what?" What was he taking about, "you dumped Adrian for Diggory." I shrug, "well not exactly, Adrian was cheating on me." Draco's face scrunches, "that filthy-" I stop him there, "it's ok Draco I don't care." I assure him, "you don't?" I shake my head, "I was really only dating him to please father." I shrug again, "well what about Diggory?" He asks, "what about him?" I question back, "did you go to hogsmead with him?" I nod, "yes and we're going again." I tell him truthfully, "father won't be pleased." I look him in the eye seriously, "father won't know, because father won't hear about it." I was not about to have whatever was going on with Cedric ruined by my god awful dad. "Ok." He assures me making me grin, "why are you still wearing that?" I ask referring to the sling around his arm which I'm sure was perfectly fine by now, "because I need it." I roll my eyes and nod, "sure."

"Hey Lyra you ready?" I smile up at Cedric and nod, whilst Draco scoffs, I shoot him a look making him shoot me a look before he leaves. "I uh don't think that he likes me very much." He hums, "he doesn't like anyone." I shrug it off as Cedric grabs my hand. "So where to today?" I ask as Cedric smiles down at me. "Wherever you want." Cedric and I had gone on a few dates over the past few weeks and he was really sweet and kind, I loved being around him I just felt comfortable and at peace for once.

"Hey Lyra." I look up from my browsing to see Cedric looking a bit nervous, "yes Ced?" I ask watching him smile softly, "I uh, well I was wondering if you would uh." I smile as he flounders for words rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "would you like to be my girlfriend?" My eyebrows raise in surprise, "it's ok if you don't want to but I've just been having such a great time with you and-" I put a hand on his chest to stop his rambling, "well if you would've given me a chance to answer, you would've heard me say yes, I would love to be your girlfriend." He beams, "really?" I nod, "yes." His smile is so infectious that it makes me begin to giggle giddily he joins in before leaning down to kiss me. "Sorry I just got caught up in the moment." He says bashfully making me blush before pulling him back down so that I could kiss him again. 

As we grin at each other I spot Fred he's walking past us and he actually looks a bit sad, I wondered what was wrong, Fred never had anything other than a smile on his face. "Coming?" I look back to Cedric and nod as I take his hand forgetting all about Fred and his sadness. 

• • • 

My eyes widen in horror once I spot a familiar figure on the school grounds, quickly dropping Cedric's hand he looks at me in confusion, "Lyra?" Father asks before looking Cedric up and down in disgust, "father what are you doing here?" I ask quietly and afraid. "I'm here about that dreadful creature that attacked your brother. What are you doing with this Hufflepuff boy, you should be with a good pure blood Slytherin, like Adrian." I glance at Cedric and frown once I see the hurt on his face, "father Cedric is a good boy, he's the Hufflepuff Prefect and captain of their quidditch team." I say making him scoff, "why are you not with Adrian?" I look away for a second, "he cheated on me so I broke up with him." I explain, "Lyra I expect you to apologise and ask for him to take you back, then I suggest you put more effort in." My jaw drops at his words I had put plenty of effort in, "I'm happy with Cedric, I want to be with Cedric not Adrian." I say firmly, putting my hand back into Cedric's, he gives it a reassuring squeeze. Father looks down at our joined hands and scoffs, "well I suppose at least he isn't a mud blood or a Weasley." I wince at his words, "but we're not done talking about this you know about the agreement we have with the Pucey's." I didn't say anything, but there was nothing that he could say that would change my mind. 

"Your father is terrifying." Cedric says to me after he's gone, "I know." I shiver thinking about the conversation he'd be planning, "I can't believe you stood up to him like that." I smile, "well you're a good person and you didn't deserve his judgements." I tell him as he swings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer, "you're so brave." I look up, "only for you." I say reaching up to kiss his cheek. 

• • • 

"Are you excited for the match?" I ask Ced before he has to go and play I was a bit nervous due to the weather but I'm sure he'd be fine, "a bit nervous it's storming really bad." I nod, "I have all the faith that you'll be fine." I try to reassure him. "I'll win it for you." He tells me sweetly making me giggle as butterflies swarm my stomach, "you look so handsome right now, in your uniform." I say my hands messing with said uniform, "oh am I?" He asks leaning down to kiss me making me giggle, "very much so." I spot Fred watching us over Cedric's shoulder he looks down again, maybe it was the weather? Gloomy weather could affect your mood terribly. I mean I hoped he was ok, I know that we weren't supposed to talk and all but I guess I found myself caring for the twins just a little.

"A kiss for luck?" He asks making me giggle again, "of course." I grin as he connects our lips, "I'll be sure to win now." He says before pecking my lips once more. "Good luck." I call out after him as he is summoned to get ready to play, "that kiss gave me all the luck I'll ever need." He winks at me making me smile softly before I watch him mount his broom. 

• • • 

"Oh merlin I hope Harry is ok." Cedric says as he joins my side, "poor boy, the dementors are horrific enough from a distance." I know that my brother didn't get along with the Potter boy but I held no ill feelings towards him, and I'm sure anyone would feel bad having witnessed the fall he just endured. I was never mean before like some of the other Slytherins that I knew but I think Cedric was making me kinder, his positive energy was just so hard to resist. "I asked Wood to rematch because it's not fair, Harry wasn't able to play properly he could've won for all we know." I smile softly, "what did Wood say?" I ask, "he said no can you believe that? He said he thinks that I won fair and square because I didn't know what was happening to Harry." I put my arm on his arm, "it's ok Ced." He was just so kind, I didn't know if I was good enough to be with him. 

"I guess your kiss really did keep me lucky."


	4. F O U R

"Lyra?" I quickly wipe my eyes as I head someone has joined me in the astronomy tower, "oh Fred, hi." I say giving him a small wave, "where's George?" I question, "we just pranked mr filch and we had to separate." I nod in understanding as he sits beside me. "Have you been crying?" He asks hesitantly after a second, "no." I deny quickly, "yes." I sigh after the look he gave me. "Why?" 

"Why do you care?" He shrugs, "my dad." I start of hesitant should I tell him? "He won't let me come home." I explain what I had just read in the letter he had sent to me, "what why?" I look down at the parchment still in my hands, "because of Cedric, he said until I break up with him I'm not allowed back at the manor." The tears start again, the manor may have been cold and lonely but it was my home. How could he not permit me home? I was his daughter did he not even care about me? "And your mother-" 

"There's nothing she can do other than urge me to do what father wants." Fred sighs and takes my hand, "it'll be alright Lyra, you can come and stay with my family if you want, mum shouldn't mind she loves kids well she much do I mean she had seven of us and I know that it's not a big and fancy manor but-" I cut him off with a hug I couldn't stay with his family, they'd probably hate me and father would completely disown me if he ever found out but the thought was lovely. 

"I would've loved to but I can't, if he were to find out." He nods in understanding, "thank you though Fred." He looks like he's about to say something when all of a sudden Mr Filch comes running up the steps, "ah got you now." He says gripping Fred by the shoulder and pulling him up, "Mr Filch what's this all about?" I ask quickly getting to my feet, "nothing that concerns you but this one tried another one of his stupid pranks." Taking in the state of Mr Filch it was clear to see that Fred and George had succeeded, he was pink from head to toe. I had to stop myself from smiling at the proud smirk on Fred's face, "think this funny do you?" He asks making me shake my head, "Mr Filch sir, Fred was with me so he can't have done this to you." I defend grabbing onto Fred and pulling him out of Filch's grip. 

"No he wasn't don't lie to me girl." He hisses harshly at me, "are you calling me a liar Mr Filch because I don't think that my father would appreciate if you were." I hated using the dad card but I had to admit it was useful at times. "No of course not." He says quickly, "right well, Fred and I should be getting to class, you don't want us to be late do you?" I ask as I grab Fred by the hand and pull him along with me. 

"That was wicked Lyra." Fred beams as we walk through the corridors towards our defence against the dark arts class, "yeah." I murmur realising that I was still holding his hand, dropping it quickly. "Now come on I don't want to be late." I urge him as we quickly make it to the classroom. The new professor for this year doesn't say anything instead he gives us a nod of acknowledgment with a kind smile. I liked professor Lupin he was a good teacher. 

"Alright since were all here now," he says shooting Fred and I a look as George whispers over to his brother probably asking where he had been. "We can begin with today's lesson, which is Boggarts." My eyebrows furrow we'd already been taught about boggarts two years ago. "Now I know you've already been taught about boggarts but it has come to my attention that your professor at the time had been too afraid to show a demonstration and I believe that it is most helpful to learn the through experience." I mean what he was saying made sense but I was actually quite thankful that I never had to find out what I was most afraid of. 

"You don't have to participate if you do not wish to." He adds looking at some of the uneasy faces around the room. I don't think that I was going to, "come on Malfoy, you're not gonna join?" I shake my head, "come on." Both twins say looping their arms with mine and pulling me up. "Ok," I laugh as they let me free. 

We watch a bunch of peoples fears honestly this was probably giving the twins ideas for future pranks, I swallow as the person before me exists the line and it's my turn to step up, "ok remember the spell Miss Malfoy?" I nod at professor Lupin, "up you come then." I take a deep breath and step up, my eyes widen and my mouth goes dry as the boggart transforms into my father. Every rational thought has left my mind as my wand clatters to the ground, Professor Lupin himself is stunned and before many people can see George causes a distraction to the class whilst Fred quickly steps in front of me and defeats his own boggart. 

I shrink back to the edge of the class in embarrassment and shame. "You ok Malfoy?" Both twins ask as they join me, George hands me my wand with a small smile, "oh merlin that was embarrassing." I mutter making both boys shake their heads, "it's ok your father is pretty scary, I was half afraid he'd be my boggart." Fred tells me light heartedly successfully bringing a smile to my face. "Also you haven't even seen our mother when she's in a rage." George offers making me smile gratefully at both boys. 

"Miss Malfoy, I hope you don't mind staying behind a moment." Professor Lupin says to me as the lesson nears its end, "yes professor?" I ask as everyone has left the room, "It was just about your boggart Lyra, is everything alright?" I nod, "perfectly." He doesn't seem convinced. "Are you sure?" I nod even though the more I thought about it the less ok everything became. "I once had a friend who was dealing with something similar, you remind me of him." He tells me suddenly, "well did things work out for him?" I ask on the edge of my seat, "they did." He says with a small frown, "how?" He sends me another kind smile, "he relied upon his friends." This makes me frown. 

"What's wrong Lyra?" Lupin asks me noting the way I had let my shoulders drop, "I don't have any friends." I admit quietly well there were my dorm mates but we weren't exactly close enough to be sharing issues like this. "Well what about the Weasley twins, I saw what they did for you in class." I smile slightly thinking of them, "they're lovely but I wouldn't exactly call us friends, our fathers sort of hate each other and my younger brother is not the nicest to them either." He nods. 

"Why are you afraid of your father?" He asks me after a second and I shrug, "I don't know." I really didn't, "maybe it's because he doesn't care about me so I'm scared about what he'll do or allow to happen to me and my brother." Professor Lupin shoots me a sympathetic glance, "I'm sure he does care about you." He tries to reason but I shake my head, "he doesn't." I repeat hearing my voice waver, "why do you think that?" I can't help it Professor Lupin seemed like he genuinely cared and he was so warm. "He won't let me come home and he's threatened to disown me." I explain my voice cracking as I thought on it. "Oh Lyra it will be alright, I promise you everything will work itself out." He assures me holding out a piece of chocolate? 

"Chocolate?" I ask confused, "eat some it'll make you feel better."


	5. F I V E

I had stayed behind in the castle for the holidays alone, Draco had gone home mother fussing about how her cousin Sirius Black had broken into Hogwarts twice and how she wanted her son safe. Father still refused my return, he said that the only way he'd ever forgive me was if I found myself a Slytherin boyfriend preferably Adrian but I was not going get back with that rat not in a million years. 

Cedric had offered to stay behind with me but I refused, I knew that he wanted to see his parents and I could handle a few weeks alone. "Oh hi there." I say spotting a black dog near the black lake it sounded ridiculous but I swear he was watching me as though he recognised me. I was sat out here for some peace and fresh air. "I'm not going to hurt you." I assure the animal as he seems hesitant to come over eventually he gives in and pads his way over to me. 

"What's are you doing out here all alone?" I ask as I pet his head, he was cute I loved animals especially dogs I had always wanted one but my parents refused the only pets we were allowed were owls. He leans closer to me his body shaking slightly. "Are you cold?" I ask as though he could understand what I was saying, it was chilly out but I liked it. The dog shivers slightly and lets out a small whine making me frown, I take my robe off and drape it around the smaller creature. "There you go." I smile as he relaxes and lays down resting his head in my lap, "you're such a sweet boy." I say continuing to pet him as he relaxes completely a small lazy smile making its way to his face. 

"You must be so lonely, I know what that's like, I'm here in this great big castle during the holiday with no one to talk to, and I'm not even allowed at my own house because my father kicked me out, I hate that house but it was the only place I knew. It was cold and uninviting but it was home. You probably don't even understand a word that I'm saying." I say surprised when it sounds like the dog lets out a sound to disagree with my last statement, "you do huh? What were you kicked out from your home?" I ask rhetorically hearing the way he lets out a bit of air through his nose in a sort of scoff which made me feel like he was agreeing with me. "You have a younger brother your parents adored too?" Yet again the dog lets out the small scoff and I smile, maybe I was imagining it because I wanted to feel like I had someone who understood. 

I sit with the dog for a small while just talking and pretending that the dog was replying in his own way, "I like talking to you..." I trail off for a second, "do you even have a name?" The dog sits up and nods, "you do? what is it?" I don't know how the dog was going to tell me this. He lifts his paw up, "paw?" I ask making him shake his head he puts his paw into my hand, "shake?" He shakes his head again, "handshake?" Another head shake accompanied with what sounded like a bit of a barking laugh. The dog removes his paw for a second before placing it back in my hand and pressing down, so I could feel the pads on his paw. "Pad?" That was a bit of a strange name, he nods then nudges my foot with his nose, "foot? Padfoot?" He nods and gives me an adorable doggy grin. "Padfoot." I repeat, "it's cute." He shakes his head with a scoff as if to say it wasn't but it was. 

"Well Padfoot it was nice to meet you, see you here tomorrow? I'll bring you some food." I offer hoping to see the dog again, spending time with him made things just a little less lonely.

• • •

"Hey Paddy I'm back." I call out into the bushes where he'd usually hide until I made an appearance, it was sad to say but the past week I had spent most of my time with the scrappy stray. He saunters out sitting in front of me with a patient smile, "I brought you some chicken." I say pushing the basket over to him, his tail wags as he dives into the food. "So what's new?" I ask him receiving a bark in response, "do you have any friends out there?" I ask as I cross my arms over my knees and rest my head. Padfoot halts and looks up a bit sadly, "it's ok." I assure him scratching between his ears. "What about family?" He seems sad but angry, he lets out a small growl, "my family make me feel like that." I say stroking his fur making him calm as he turns to me inquisitively. 

"My dad is awful, my mum slightly better I guess but she just stays quiet out of fear? I don't know but she didn't even try to convince him to let me home, she was too scared to and so she just said to do what he asked me to, but why would I break up with my boyfriend just to get back with a cheating rat?" I ask in disbelief, it just didn't make sense how they could want that for me. "Yet she cried for poor Draco's safety and begged him to come home because of her cousin Sirius being on the lose and what not." I continue ranting. 

"Then there's Draco, I love him so much and I'd do anything for him but by the day he becomes more of who my parents want him to be, who my father wants him to be. He acts like my dad with his stupid blood supremacy ideals and Draco just goes along with whatever father says eager to please him, and he actually believes in that rubbish now. Which just doesn't make sense to me, how does someone's blood determine their worth? And with him being home alone with them they're just going to force their ideals on him further which makes me so mad because my brother could be better than that, he should be." I don't even realise the tears that are streaming down my face until Padfoot nudges my arm and puts his head on my shoulder in a comforting way. 

So I sit there hugging the dog as I cry finally letting everything I'd been holding in out.


	6. S I X

"Ced!" I grin brightly as he runs up to me and spins us around, "I missed you." He says once he lets me down making my cheeks heat up, "I missed you too." I tell him feeling myself laugh at his excitement to see me I'd never had someone so happy to see me before.

"How was it?" I ask enjoying listening him tell me all about what had gone on at his home, "and I spoke to my parents and they agreed that you should stay with us once school is over." I look at him in surprise, "really?" He nods without hesitation, "yeah my mum insisted actually, it's gonna be loads of fun Lyra we can do so much-" he lets out a surprised breath as I basically tackle him, "thank you." He chuckles and wraps his arms around me, "you don't need to thank me, I wanted you to come with me now but I thought it might have been a bit sudden." Why was he so wonderful? 

"You're so perfect." I say making him laugh, "if I'm perfect then so are you." He tells me before leaning down to kiss me. I just smile up at him in adoration for a second, I never thought someone so loving would end up with me. People were frightened of me, I'm not entirely sure why but it had something to do with my family and so I'm so glad that I had Cedric. 

"Now come on, I want to hear all about how you spent the holidays." He says linking my hand with his, "I didn't do much, I did make friends with this adorable dog though." I tell him absentmindedly swinging our joined hands. "That sounds nice." I smile slightly thinking of my companion, "it was." 

• • • 

Padfoot had disappeared once all the students returned to school it made me kind of sad but I suppose they scared him off. Just in case he was still lurking nearby I left him food in a basket and put it by the bushes he used to hide in, I had no clue if it were him eating the food but I hoped it was. 

That dog knew more about me than anyone on the planet, I found it so easy opening up to him maybe it was because he couldn't really even understand me and even if he did who would he tell? He was just a dog it not like he was gonna start spilling my secrets. 

• • • 

"Lyra!" I laugh as my brother launches himself at me, "I missed you too Draco." I grin holding him close to me, "why didn't you just do as father asked?" He asks me in confusion. "I can't Draco I love being with Cedric he makes me so happy, and father he wants me back with Adrian." Draco frowns and hugs me once more, "the manor was extra lonely without you." He murmurs making me frown, "I'm sorry." He shakes his head, "it's not fair Lyra you should be allowed home." I try and stay with my happy mood, "Draco it's ok, I'm actually gonna go home with Cedric." I tell him making his face drop, "but you should be coming home with me, with your family." I push his hair off his face, "this is just until father eases up, just because I'm not home doesn't mean I'm not your sister." I assure him, I couldn't show Draco that this was killing me as much as it was him, because he was my younger brother and it wasn't his job to worry about me. I was the older sister I had to look out for both of us even if that meant I had to hide my feelings from him and deal with it alone. 

• • • 

School ended rather quickly mother's cousin was caught but then he escaped again and I didn't know how to feel about it, I knew father served the dark Lord when he was around and so if Sirius did too shouldn't my parents like him? I mean I heard them talking about my aunt Bellatrix perfectly fine even though she was still in Azkaban. 

"Is it true Professor? Are you resigning?" I ask after running to Professor Lupins classroom. "Yes Lyra I am." I feel saddened at the news, "why?" I really liked Professor Lupin I had spoken to him a few times after the boggart lesson and he was lovely to speak to, he acted more like a father than mine did. "You don't know this Lyra but I'm a werewolf." I shake my head, "I do know and I don't care you're the best teacher we've had since I joined." He looks surprised. 

"You knew?" I nod, "yeah I mean you missed lessons on around the time of the full moons and it was just quite easy to put together if you observe things properly." I shrug, he nods impressed, "and you didn't tell anyone?" I shake my head, "no why would I, it's not my business." He smiles, "why has someone found out? Are you being forced to leave? That's not fair. Who was it?" He laughs and pats my shoulder, "Lyra it's alright I'm leaving on my own accord, before the angry parents demand my removal." I shake my head, "but you're a brilliant teacher why should what you are affect anything, you've been no harm to us all year." 

"Not everyone shares your views Lyra." I nod thinking of how my own father would probably be one of the first to campaign for his removal. "I'm sorry." He shakes his head and holds out some chocolate. 

• • • 

"Ready?" Cedric asks me as we're getting ready to leave the train, I take a deep breath. "I'm nervous." I admit he sends me a reassuring smile and takes my hand, "don't be they'll love you." He seems so confident in his words but I'm not sure, would they really? 

We step off the train and Cedric's parents engulf him into hugs as soon as they spot him making me grin, seeing the love they had for each other that was special and it was beautiful. Cedric's mother spots me from over his shoulder and smiles warmly at me easing some of the nerves that had been eating me up. 

"You must be Lyra." She says before pulling me into a soft hug, "it's so wonderful to finally meet you, but with the amount Cedric talks about you I feel as though I already know you." I giggle slightly as Cedric blushes red, "mum." She waves him off and continues speaking to me, "it's lovely to meet you Mrs Diggory, and thank you for letting me stay with you." I say addressing both of his parents at the end.

As we're leaving the station I spot my family, Draco smiles sadly at me whereas father glares hard at both Cedric and I, if looks could kill we'd probably be six feet under. Mother just looks at me sadly, Cedric sees what I'm looking at and takes my hand I smile at him before listening to the story his mother was telling us.


	7. S E V E N

Staying with Cedric's family was nice, I'm not so sure his dad actually liked me but he put up with me for the sake of Cedric. His mother adored me though, she told me that she had always wanted a daughter and so I would sit with her a lot, she was wonderful. 

"Come on Lyra." I look at Cedric confused as he pulls me along with him, "where are we going?" I ask, "on a picnic." He replies, "a picnic?" I repeat making him nod. We walk up the hill together talking absentmindedly about random things. "Oh it's lovely Ced." I say grinning once I take in the picnic sight he'd set up he smiles at me, "I'm glad you like it." 

"So Lyra, do you uh like staying with us?" Cedric asks his voice full of nerves, "I love it." I tell him surely making a bright smile appear on his face, "you do?" I nod, "it's wonderful, your mum she's so kind I love spending time with her." I say making his smile grow if possible, "I think she loves you more than she loves me." He says making me laugh, "don't be ridiculous." 

We found ourselves outside for hours, I was laying on Cedric's lap as he read, my eyes fluttering shut as the sun poured down on my face. My eyes opened once I felt Cedric run a finger over my cheek I met his eyes and we both smiled softly at each other. 

• • • 

"My father got us tickets for the quidditch World Cup." Cedric tells me suddenly I could feel the excitement bouncing off of him, "he did? That's great." I didn't like quidditch that much I mostly just watched it for Ced because he loved the sport so much. 

• • • 

Cedric and I were sat up in a tree as we waited for our traveling companions for the quidditch World Cup, "it'll be fine, you've never been rude to the Weasleys." Cedric assures me knowing how I was nervous to travel with the Weasleys. 

"Sorry Amos. Some of us had a bit of a sleepy start. This is Amos Diggory everyone, he works with me at the ministry." Mr Weasley introduces his family with the additions of Hermione and Harry. "And this strapping young lad must be Cedric, am I right?" He says as Cedric suddenly drops down, "Yes sir." He says shaking hands whilst I also let myself down, although not quite as loudly as Cedric had. "This is Cedric's girlfriend Lyra Malfoy." I give Mr Weasley and his family a shy smile and wave as they stare at me wearily making me inch closer to Ced, he takes my hand reassuringly.

"Merlin's beard, you must be Harry Potter." Thankfully Mr Diggory takes all the attention off of me and puts it on Harry, "Yes sir." He replies slightly awkwardly, "Great great pleasure." They shake hands. "Pleasure to meet you too sir." As everyone engages in conversation with each other I find myself slinking to the back of the group alone. "Malfoy." The twins greet making me grin, "George, Fred." I say looking between them, "I'm George." Fred says making me laugh, "no you're Fred and he's George, you should know that won't work on me by now." After our first meeting when we were eleven I made a point of knowing which twin was which. 

"Still on banishment?" They ask making me nod, "yeah, but even if I was allowed home I don't know if I'd want to go." Living with a different family it made me realise how much I actually hated the manor, I wouldn't want to stay with Cedric and his parents forever because I'm already sure I'm being a burden but I had money and I'd rather stay anywhere. 

"Why are they all standing around that manky old boot?" Harry asks as we get to the top of the hill, "That isn't just any old manky boot mate." Fred tells him, "It's a portkey." George finishes. We all then get in a circle and put our hands on the boot. "Time to go. Ready?" 

I notice Harry hasn't put his hand on the boot, "What's a 'portkey'?" He asks, "Harry put a hand on." I say after mr Diggory starts counting down, Harry rushes over and puts his hand on the boot just in time. "Three!" There's a white flash and suddenly we're all flying through the air. 

"Let go kids!" Mr Weasley instructs, "What??" Hermione asks in shock, "Let! Go!" Mr Weasley repeats Harry, Hermione and Weasleys crash to the ground with  
a thump. Mr Weasley, Mr Diggory, Cedric and I come down more gracefully. "I bet that cleared your sinuses eh?" I find myself in front of Hermione who looks at me unsurely. I hold my hand out and she takes it with a small smile, "thank you." She murmurs in a quiet tone as I just give her a nod before awkwardly walking to where Cedric is helping Harry to his feet. "Thanks." 

We walk across the field and we see there's a massive crowd gathered and cheering, tents are set up all over. "Well kids, welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!" We walk into the crowd, taking in the sights. Music is playing  
and people fly about overhead on brooms. They approach a small tent. "Parting of the waves I think old chap, see you at the match." Mr Diggory says as we separate and walk off. "See ya later Cedric." Harry calls out after us. 

• • • 

The match was exciting everyone having a wonderful time well until the death eaters attacked, Mr Diggory got us out of there rather quickly thankfully I just hoped everyone else was as fortunate. Mrs Diggory fuses over us once we arrive back at their house she was close to tears and just so relieved to see all three of us alright. 

• • • 

"Thank you for everything, I truly appreciate it and hope I can repay the kindness you have shown me one day." I tell the Diggory's as they drop us off at the train station ready for a new year at hogwarts already. "Don't be ridiculous Lyra you've been such a delight, you're free to stay with us anytime." Mrs Diggory assures me before pulling me into a hug, "you making Cedric happy is all we need from you." She whispers to me making me blush slightly. "Have a good year, it's going to be an exciting one."


	8. E I G H T

Once we reach the school everyone begins crowding as we e see four flying horses flying through the air pulling a carriage coming in to land at Hogwarts. I watch in wonder what was that all about? I'm sure we'd find out soon enough. 

Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts has been choosen..." Dumbledore's speech is interrupted when Mr Filch comes running in whispers something to Dumbledore and then leaves in the same fashion.

"So Hogwarts has been choosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard tournament. Now for those of you who do not know, the tri-wizard tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear, if choosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later. For now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime."

A group of girls dressed in blue dance up the aisle and release butterflies into the air. They bow and everyone applauds. They were beautiful and almost enchanting to watch. "And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and the high master Igor Karkaroff." A series of older boys walk up the aisle brandishing bo staffs, twirling them around and periodically stabbing them into the ground with a spark effect before they breath fire. This was going to be interesting. 

• • • 

"Your attention please! I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the tri-wizard tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks." Why was this even a thing if it was extremely dangerous, I don't think that eternal glory is worth it personally. 

"For this reason the ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the department of international magic cooperation Mister Bartimus Crouch." Thunder roars overhead, rain begins leaking through the roof and screams break out. A strange man stands in the doorway, he casts some magic upwards and seals the roof thankfully stopping the rain and screaming. 

I don't pay much attention to the man as Barty crouch starts speaking again, "After much deliberation the ministry has concluded that for their own safety no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the tri-wizard tournament. This decision is final." Almost immediately students begun to cry out in protest I can hear Fred and George from across the room, being the loudest. I agreed with the rule if it was reasonable to me. 

"Silence!" Dumbledore casts magic over a box which melds into a goblet containing a blue flame. "The goblet of fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly, if choosen there's  
no turning back. As from this moment the tri-wizard tournament has begun." 

"Are you going to do it?" I ask Ced as we walk towards the dungeons together, "I think so what about you?" I shake my head, "no way." He laughs, "are you sure about putting your name in?" I ask hoping wouldn't. "What scared I won't get picked?" He asks making me shake my head once more, "scared because I know you will. The tournament is supposed to be dangerous." I say emphasising on the danger part. "You worry too much love." He says kissing my cheek. "There's no guarantee I'd even get picked and if so it's a chance at eternal glory." I just smile, "you'd do great." 

• • •

I was sat in the hall with my dorm mate Daphne she wanted to watch everyone put their names into goblet, I wasn't as interested as she was so I was reading by her side whilst she watched. She nudges me, "what?" I ask her rubbing at my side, she sends me a smirk and nods towards where a group of people had just entered soaking from the pouring rain. It was Cedric and his friends, they pushed him forwards into the circle. He laughs and winks at me before dropping his name into the goblet. 

Just then the twins come up cheering. "Thank you thank you, well lads we've done it." George says as they run through the hall, "Cooked it up just this morning." Fred adds making me scoff, "It's not going to work." Hermione tells them, "Oh yeah? And why's that Granger." Fred asks as they sit beside her, "You see this? This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself." She explains, "So?"

"So a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something pathetically dimwitted such as an age potion." She tells them, I laugh as they continue on about how it was so brilliant because it was so dim witted. "She's right you know." I add glancing up over my book for a second. "Come on Malfoy have a little faith." Fred says slinging an arm over my shoulder, "in you? Never." I grin as he clutches his chest over dramatically, "we'll prove you wrong." George says before they stand, "I'd love to see it boys." 

"Ready Fred?" He asks turning to his twin, "Ready George?" They jump inside the age line, and wait a second before cheering. They then put their names in the flame and do a high-five, Fred even winks at me as if to say I told you so. Suddenly the flame fires up and they're  
flung across the room onto the floor. When they get up they have full heads of grey hair and beards. "You said!" They roll around fighting on the floor and the crowd cheer egging their fight on until the room suddenly becomes silent as Viktor Krum walks in and puts his name in the flame. He looks at Hermione and she smiles her cheeks dusting slightly pink. 

"Honestly, I told you so." I say grabbing the now elderly Weasleys and pulling them up, "where are we going?" They ask as I drag them along, "to madam pomfrey so she can fix you clowns." George laughs as Fred wraps an arm around me, "what don't fancy us like this?" He asks razing his eyebrows ridiculously making me laugh and push him off me. "As charming as the two of you look, I prefer the red hair." George runs his hands through his beard, "I don't know this look is growing on me." He says making me shake my head as I laugh, "you know I think we should leave the white hair to Lyra, she suits it best." 

• • • 

"Sit down please. And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the champions selection!" It was Thursday night and the night where the three champions would be announced. Dumbledore approaches the blue flame and it glows red. A name comes out. Everyone looks on anxiously. "The Durmstrang champion is ... Viktor Krum!" The Durmstrang crowd cheer as Viktor leaves and another name comes out. "The champion from Beauxbatons... Fleur Delacour." The Beauxbatons girls cheer as Fleur walks up and another name comes out.

"The Hogwarts champion..." I hold my breath, "Cedric Diggory." I see the joy on his face as he's congratulated by his friends and he stands all the Hogwarts pupils cheer as Cedric walks past he stops for just a second to kiss me on the cheek as he walks past. 

"Excellent! we now have our three champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory the tri-wizard cup!" People cheer, but the goblet glows red once more and another name flies out, everyone murmurs to each other as Dumbledore takes it and reads...

"Harry Potter. Harry Potter?" I see Harry he looks just as shocked as everyone else and he quickly sits back down, "Harry Potter!" He looks like he wants the floor to open up and swallow him whole, Hermione pushes him out of his seat and he stumbles over to Dumbledore who gives him the paper as voices in the crowd shout out. "He's a cheat! He's not even seventeen yet." 

I honestly believe that Harry didn't seem like he'd put his name in the goblet, he looked like he would've rather done anything else. Poor boy just couldn't catch a break.


	9. N I N E

I was in my usual spot in the astronomy tower it was a nice place to sit and think also the view was spectacular. "Oh hi Harry." I say noticing the younger boy, "Lyra." He greets awkwardly looking like he was about to run, "are you alright?" He looked like he had a lot on his mind. He doesn't really answer, sending me what I think is a nod. 

"If you wanted to sit here I can leave." I offer making him shake his head, "no it's ok you can stay, you were here first." I shrug. "Come and sit with me." He looks at me in confusion, but all that was going through my head was that he was Draco's age and if it were my brother in his place I wouldn't want him feeling so sad and lonely. I'd heard of how Ron wasn't speaking to his best friend and majority of the school had turned on him. 

"I'm sorry about the badges I told Draco it wasn't funny." Draco wasn't speaking to me much anymore and when we had disagreed on the badges it made things worse between us, He shrugs as he takes a seat, "everyone else seems to think that they are." I frown sympathetically, "are you nervous?" I ask, "very, I didn't even put my name in the goblet." He says, "I believe you." He looks surprised. "You do?" I nod, "I don't know but it just doesn't seem like you put your name in to me." He smiles, "thank you." I shrug, "I'll leave you now, but don't worry so much I'm sure you'll be fine. You're a strong boy Harry ." I tell him as I get up. 

• • • 

"Dragons." My eyebrows furrow, "what about them?" I ask Cedric who's come to me wide eyed. "The first task is dragons." He says, "dragons?" I repeat in disbelief that was so incredibly dangerous. "How do you know?" I ask my mind running, "Harry just told me." That was nice of him. "What are you gonna do?" He shrugs, "I'll think of something." He says, "I'm sure you will but library to study?" He smiles and kisses my head as he nods although before we go a commotion breaks out. 

"Why so tense Potter? My father and I have a bet you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five." I frown as I watch Draco torment Harry, "I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks Malfoy. He's vile l and cruel, and you're just pathetic." Harry fires back ready to walk away when Draco angrily tries casting a spell. Mad-Eye appears and suddenly turns my brother into a ferret. My eyes widen as we join the crowd gathering. 

"I'll teach you to cast when someone's back is turned." Professor Moody says bouncing the ferret up and down. "Professor surely this isn't allowed." I say making my way forwards and grabbing onto my brother he eyes me up and down making me feel uncomfortable with the unnerving smile he sends me, "you must be the other Malfoy?" I nod not really knowing what to say. "Professor Moody what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asks suddenly appearing making me feel so much better. 

"Teaching." He replies snatching Draco from my hands, "Is that a student?" McGonagall asks eying my brother who moody then shoves down Crabbes pants. "Technically it's a ferret." I seem to be the only one who isn't laughing at what would be a comical sight. 

Thankfully McGonagall turns Draco back to normal. "My father will hear about this!" He says getting of the ground completely dishevelled, "Is that a threat!" Moody shouts before chasing him around the tree. "I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy! It doesn't end here!" Moody shouts after him before turning to me, "We never use transfigration as a punishment, surely Dumbledore told you that." With his attention back on McGonagall I quickly slip away. "I'll meet you in the library." I tell my boyfriend before running to find my brother. 

"Draco." I sigh once I catch up to him, I try and fix his hair but he swats my hands away, "go away Lyra." I frown at the cold tone he uses with me, "Draco." He shakes his head firmly, "I don't want to talk to you, you comforted Potter and I see how you interact with the Weasles and mudbloods." I just look at him, "Draco you shouldn't say that word." I've tried telling him this for years but my fathers influence was just too strong. "That's what you're focused on? Are you a blood traitor?" I scoff, "blood isn't important in that way Draco, so if that makes me a blood traitor then yes I guess I am one, I'd rather be friends with a muggleborn than an arrogant pure blood." He shakes his head at me, "you've gone mad." I shake my head back, "no I just think for myself. The Weasleys are wonderful people just because father hates them doesn't mean we should too." I try and reason but he's not listening not properly. 

"You'd rather pick the Weasleys over me? Over your family." I sigh, "that's not what I said Draco." He doesn't want to listen to me, "what happened to I'll always be your sister?" I start to feel my heart break, "I am your sister and I will always be your sister. I haven't changed on that I would do anything for you." He storms away from me making my eyes sting as I feel the tears form. 

"Wonderful people hey?" I jump as Fred is suddenly beside me, "it's rude to eavesdrop." I say whacking his arm, "you didn't answer the question." I roll my eyes at the two boys on either side of me, "well you heard me say it didn't you?" They smirk, "aww Malfoy do you care for us?" I push Fred off of me with a laugh, "you? As if. George however." George laughs really loud and wraps his arms around me, "hear that Freddie? I'm the better twin." He smirks boastfully as Fred rolls his eyes. "You wish, Lyra loves me more really." He says winking at me making me erupt into laughter. "You wish." I say making George smile as he looks between us. 

"Oh, I have to go and meet Ced in the library but see you guys later." I say remembering what I had told Cedric, "see you later." George waves nudging Fred who's smile had dropped. His smile returns and he too waves as I rush of in the direction of my boyfriend.


	10. T E N

Cedric and I had studied dragons a lot and he had a pretty good plan I think, well I hoped but I had faith in him he was brave smart and strong he was picked for a reason. "Good luck." I say as we stand outside of the champions tent, he'd have to enter soon. "A kiss for luck?" I laugh but nod, a click and a flash make us jump apart. To see that awful reporter lady she'd just taken a picture of us, "oh so the hunk is taken?" She asks making Ced and I share a bewildered glance, "excuse me but what do you think you're doing?" I ask feeling slightly uncomfortable with the picture she had just taken. "My job." She smirks eying me. 

"You're a pretty thing, want to give an interview on how you feel about your boyfriend being a champion, I shift under her scrutinising gaze, "not exactly." Cedric knew how I felt, I didn't need to broadcast it to everyone else he was the only one who mattered. "What don't love him?" My jaw clenches at her words and I take a step forward for Cedric to pull me back as she smirks, "Cedric knows my feelings and he's the only one who needs to know." I tell her my voice seething. She steps back slightly, "sure." She says before sauntering off. 

"Ugh she's insufferable." Cedric smiles down at me, "what?" I ask confused, "nothing you're just beautiful." I blush, "that's a bit random." I say, "well it's not my fault that you are, especially when you're mad." I shake my head. "She's like a cockroach." He begins laughing prompting me to laugh a bit too. He then pulls me into his arms as we laugh, I melt into his warm embrace smiling as I feel the way his laughter vibrates through this body. 

"Be brave." I say to him making him kiss my forehead, "for you." I smile before leaning up to kiss him once more. "For luck." I clarify pulling away to giggle at his dazed face, before he can say anything he's called into the tent so I quickly kiss his cheek before we separate. 

"Oh hi." I say smiling at Hermione and steadying her by the arms as she bumps into me as she leaves the tent. "Oh sorry Lyra." I shake my head, "no worries, you in there for Harry?" She nods as we begin to walk to the stands. "Is he ok?" She shrugs, "I suppose so, he's terrified, I'm terrified." She spills before looking a bit embarrassed. I put a hand on her arm, "it's alright Harry will get through it." I assure her making her smile at me, she's about to say something when a cannon sounds meaning it was starting. The two of us quickly run to get a spot to watch. 

Cedric's first he smiles up at me in the stands before getting to the task. He transfigures a Boulder into a golden retriever. The dog catches the dragons attention and so whilst the dragon is occupied Cedric makes his move for the egg. He grabs it successfully making me sigh out in relief, just then the dragon turns bored of the dog and my eyes widen as I watch Cedric get scorched as he runs. He'd been burned but he had done it he had retrieved the egg. I run down to see that he's ok not caring to watch the other contestants. 

"I did it." He proudly tells me making me smile softly at him as I sit down beside him and take his hand. "You did it." I repeat, "not that you need to prove yourself but I'm so proud of you." I tell him making him smile sleepily as he begins to doze off. "I love you." He murmurs making a surprised breath escape me and before I can even say anything I see that he's drifted off. 

• • • 

I don't mention what Cedric had sleepily mumbled to me that day and neither does he, I don't think he remembered so I didn't see any need in bringing it up. Currently the Hufflepuffs and the Slytherins were gathered together our heads of houses needing to tell us something. Snape stands awkwardly at the wall as Professor Sprout address us all excitedly, "as you all know the triwizard tournament has brought about many new exciting things, one of them being a ball." Everyone begins murmuring over to each other excited with the news, I catch Cedric's eye from across the room and he smiles excitedly at me making me grin. 

Professor Sprout then makes Snape awkwardly dance with her, he really looked like he would rather be anywhere else and as though he was plotting poor Professor sprouts murder. As Cedric and I look at each other I can't help the small giggle that escapes. Snape stops dancing immediately his face whipping to me so quickly I'm sure he probably acquired some whiplash. 

"Something amusing miss Malfoy?" He asks me making my eyes widen at the deadly glare he was sending my way, "no sir." I say as everyone's eyes are now on me, "Come here." He instructs making me curse him in my head as I stand in the middle before everyone else. "Since you think you're above us all, you can demonstrate the dance to everyone." I feel like dying on the spot. "Alone?" I ask making him glower at me, "of course not." Oh merlin I hoped I wouldn't have to dance with him. 

"You step forward." No way he had to pick him out of everyone, we meet each other uncomfortably, honestly now I wish it was Snape that I was dancing with. He places his hand on my waist and we take each other's free hand, me trying to avoid eye contact as we waltz around the room. "I still love you Lyra." I feel my jaw clench at the rubbish he was speaking, "it's been a year Adrian get over it." I hiss venomously, "I can't get over you, I'm in love with you." I scoff and roll my eyes, "how's Evelyn?" His eyebrows furrow, "who? Oh Emily I don't know I haven't spoken to her since that day." I nod, "that wasn't very nice of you." 

"Be serious Lyra, I want you." I make a disinterested face, "well you can want Adrian, I'm happy with Cedric. You had your shot and you blew it." He sighs and pulls me closer, "I know I was a fool, please." I squirm in his grip wanting some distance between us. "Did our two years together mean nothing to you?" He asks me suddenly making me so extremely annoyed. "How could you ask me that? You're the one who cheated, who threw everything we had away. You ruined us not me, I loved you but my love wasn't enough you wanted more and guess what Adrian I got over you, I found someone better and I'm happy now, so listen to me closely because I'm only going to say this once. You lost me forever, nothing you ever do will change my mind, I can never trust you again. I deserve better than you and I got better." I hiss making his face contort to one of anger. 

"Wonderful." Professor Sprout says as I pull myself from Adrians grip glaring daggers as he doesn't loosen his hold on me. "You're a beautiful dancer miss Malfoy, whoever accompanies you to the ball will be ever so lucky." I smile at the woman's praise, "thank you."

"Alright now everyone grab a partner and try to dance as wonderful as the demonstration given." Adrian grabs my hand making me eyes narrow as I try and pull my arm free, "I swear to Merlin Adrian you better let me go before I hex you." Suddenly someone clears their throat from behind us, "can I cut in." Cedric asks politely glaring dangerously at Adrian. 

He scoffs and lets me go and I turn into Cedric's hold, "are you alright?" He asks me concern very prominent on his face. "Perfectly someone just couldn't take a hint." He doesn't smile like I had expected him to, "I'm fine Ced." I assure him placing a hand on his cheek, "you- you'd never go back to him right?" I shake my head, "never, I upgraded big time." I wink making him laugh. 

"Diggory, Malfoy stop that at once, five points shall be taken from each of you." Snape glares after forcing us apart after Cedric had leaned down to kiss me. "Oh come on Severus, it's just young love." Professor Sprout says smiling sweetly at the two of us, Cedric and I glance at each other and laugh.


	11. E L E V E N

"Miss Malfoy." I suppress a groan as Professor Moody stops me from leaving his class, "yes Professor?" I ask politely wishing that I could be anywhere but here. Professor Moody unnerved me, there was just something so off about him and it sent chills down my spine every time he looked at me. 

"I just wanted to uh apologise for what I did to your brother." He says begrudgingly as though he'd been forced into it which seemed very likely. "Oh it's alright." I couldn't lie and say that Draco didn't deserve it but I still felt bad for him. "What did you mean when you said that you had hair curling stories of my father?" I ask before I can stop myself, "are you sure you want to know?" That makes me hesitate for a second, "yes." But ultimately I decided I needed to know the type of man my father truly was. 

He nods for me to take a seat across from him and so I do so afraid for what he was about to say. As Professor Moody explains some of the maybe most horrific stories I had ever heard. I sit there wide eyed staring at him as he does not hold back on detail, a sadistic grin taking over his face as he really gets lost in the story. "Well I suppose that's enough." He says noticing the disturbance it had caused me, "y-yeah, how do you know these stories Professor?" His face darkens a second, "don't you worry your pretty little head on it." He says sending me that unnerving smile. I nod eager to leave, "ok we'll see you next lesson." I say quickly getting out of my seat, "my doors always open." He says with what I think is supposed to be a reassuring smile but it just makes me feel the opposite. 

I run right into Daphne, "oh Lyra thank god I was looking for you." My eyebrows furrow, "you were?" She urgently grabs my arms, "Fleur asked Cedric to the Yule ball." I don't see much of an issue, "so?" It wasn't like Cedric was asking her. "Lyra keep up, shes part Veela she used her charm on him." Oh now I saw a problem. "You don't think he..." she shrugs and pulls me along, "I don't know but you know boys can't resist Veela charms." I couldn't lose Cedric not to her. 

"Lyra there you are I need to talk to you." Cedric says appearing from merlin knows where. "What about?" I ask increasingly nervous, oh my god what if he was about to break up with me. "The Yule ball." I try to keep my face neutral not wanting to jump to conclusions but this was it he was going to leave me. "Oh what about it?" I ask, "go with me." He says pulling a bouquet of flowers from behind his back, I breathe out in relief and basically jump onto him. "Of course." I smile kissing his face multiple times making him giggle. 

"You know the funniest thing just happened, Fleur asked me to go to the ball." He tells me, "I heard." His eyebrows raise, "you did?" I nod, "this is Hogwarts news spreads like wildfire here." He nods, I was surprised that Cedric had said no to Fleur since she was part Veela and all. 

• • • 

"Lyra." I look to Harry in confusion, "yes?" Why was he coming to talk to me. "You're a girl." My eyebrow raises and I nod, "wonderful observation Harry." He blushes, "I- didn't..." I laugh, "it's ok, what do you need?" He thinks his words over and then speaks, "how am I supposed to ask a girl to the ball?" Oh, I wasn't expecting that question now I really wondered why he was coming to me we'd only spoken once. "I'd say just go up to whoever you want to take and ask nicely." He seems unsure, "it may seem scary but the worst thing that could happen is her saying no and if that happens oh well I'm sure there's plenty of girls who'd like to go with you." He looks surprised, "really?" I nod, "of course, you're Harry Potter you just battled a dragon, which is very cool any girl would be lucky to go with you." He smiles, "thanks Lyra." I shake my head, "it's alright but I'd get a move on if I was you, you don't want someone else to ask her." He nods and then leaves. 

"What was that about?" Cedric asks as he approaches me, "he wanted advice on how to ask a girl to the ball." I shrug, "he didn't ask you did he?" I laugh and shake my head, "no, I'm not entirely sure why he even came to me for advice." I say, "yeah he should've asked me." Cedric says making me laugh. 

• • • 

It was the night of the ball, Daphne and I had gotten ready together very excitedly, this was pretty fun and it was something different. I wished Hogwarts would have more dances but it was my last year next year anyways so I doubted I'd get to see anymore. 

"You look amazing." Daphne squeals as she makes me spin, I was wearing a golden dress that sparkled beautifully in the light, I loved it so much. My platinum hair was slightly curled and tied half up and half down, as to be off my face but still down. "So do you." I gush loving Daphnes deep emerald gown. Daphne was going with a Ravenclaw boy and so we separated to find our dates. 

Once I get to Cedric his jaw drops as soon as his eyes land on me, I can't help the flustered giggle that escapes at his reaction. "You..you look gorgeous." He says making me smile, "have you seen how handsome you are?" I ask taking him in his dress robes in. "Trust me Lyra nothing can compare to your beauty." He says making me blush. 

"Hello." Fleur and her date greet us as we wait but my the hall apparently the champions and their dates had to start the dance off, I hoped I wouldn't trip because that would be embarrassing. "Hi, I love your dress you look beautiful." I smile making her grin, "you look like a princess." She praises, Fleur had come to find me after asking Cedric to the ball, she apologised and said that she hadn't known we were dating, if she had she never would've asked him. 

We're ushered into the hall, I grip Cedric's hand just a bit tighter as we followed the line not liking all the attention on us, my eyes stayed on Cedric, his eyes on me to assure me that everything was alright. 

The waltz begins and I smile at the look of utter concentration on Cedric's face, "what?" He asks me with a smile as he notices my staring, "nothing, you're just very handsome." Now it's his turn to blush. 

• • •

"Care to dance?" Fred asks me as Cedric has gone to get us some drinks, "I'm sure I could spare one dance as long as you promise not to trip me Weasley." He smirks, "me? I'd never." I laugh and shake my head knowing he would but place my hand in his nevertheless. "You look beautiful tonight." He compliments making me smile. "Thank you, I thought so too." He laughs with me, "surprisingly you look good too." I say making him grin, "come on Malfoy you know that I'm dashing." He says making me shrug, "I don't know if I'd go that far." 

"I'm joking Fred you look very handsome tonight." He winks, "you mean as always." I nod with a laugh. "Sure." I spot Draco glaring at us as I laugh because of Fred excessively spinning me. "Your brother doesn't look too happy." He notes as he spins me back into him, I place my hands on his shoulders to steady myself as my head spins. "It's because I'm dancing with you." I shrug, "he'll be sure to tell father." Fred's arms loosen, "oh shall we stop dancing then?" I shake my head and pull him back closer, smirking as Draco's glare increases. He was already angry at him might as well just annoy him a bit."I promised you one dance and the song isn't over yet." I say not really noticing how his cheeks had heated up, "what about your father?" 

"Who cares what my father thinks he's never happy, I've already been reprimanded for that picture Rita skeeter published and I don't care what he says. I'm not going back to the manor ever." Fred's eyebrows raise in surprise, "really?" He sounds hopeful, I nod, "Professor Moody told me some stories about my father and I just can't deal with the kind of man he is. He doesn't want me there anyways." I shrug, "you're very brave Lyra." He says in what sounds like admiration. 

• • • 

Cedric and I dance for hours in the crowd, well more like jump around like crazy, it was really fun like but I got tired way before he did. Must've been because I wasn't half the athelete that he was. "It's ok you have fun I'm just going to catch my breath." He looks hesitant and looks as though he's about to come and sit with me but I push him in the direction of his friends. I sit at a table and take small sips of my drink before I notice Hermione arguing with Ron as they begin walking out of the hall. 

I find her crying alone on the stairs after a few seconds, "Hermione?" I question sitting beside her, she looks at me before just crying in my arms making my eyes widen, "why are boys so stupid?" I feel bad so I wipe her eyes. "They can't help it, but you do not need to be crying over any boy, you're a smart and beautiful girl and you should be out there having fun with your date the Bulgarian bonbon." I say with a bit of a teasing smile making her laugh, "thank you." She says before I hold a hand out to help her stand, "now come on we're going to have fun and forget all about how stupid boys can be." I say pulling her along with me.

• • • 

I was by the side just getting another drink when Professor Moody had caught my eye as he was walking past, "having fun?" He asks making me nod, I really wished that I hadn't made eye contact with him "you look beautiful." He says after looking me up and down, "thank you." I mutter in a tight tone. "Well enjoy your night, but not too much." He winks making me chuckle uncomfortably, but relived once he leaves. 

• • •

Almost everyone had left, a handful of us still in the hall slowly swaying to the music, "today has been wonderful." Cedric says making me smile up at him, "it has." I agree, "there's just one thing that would make it perfect." He says making me look at him inquisitively. He leans down to rid the space between us and connects our lips, "I love you." He tells me nervously once we pull away, I smile, "I love you too." I did, I would've said it back the first time if he hadn't been sleeping, this past year I had spent with Cedric was one of the best of my life. "You do?" He asks surprised, "why wouldn't I?" He shrugs, "well you never said anything after the first task so I just assumed." 

"You remember? I didn't say anything because I didn't think you remembered." He laughs, "well that's a relief."


	12. T W E L V E

"What in the world?" I say as I stare at myself in the newspaper, somehow Rita had procured a picture of Fred and I dancing at the Yule ball and had written a whole article on me cheating on Cedric and leaving him heartbroken. How on earth had she gotten that picture? I look up to see a lot of eyes on me as they too had just read the article. 

"Don't open that!" I drop the letter quickly startled by Hermione's sudden outburst, "what why?" She pushes the small pile of letters away, "it's hate mail." She explains, "hate Mail?" I question in disbelief, "I received some too after the article she wrote about me." Hermione adds making me frown, "Rita skeeter is the most annoying person I've ever met." I huff crumpling the paper up, "yeah." She agrees. 

I notice a lot of the girls glaring at me making me feel uncomfortable, "they believe this rubbish?" I ask in disbelief as one of Cedric's friends pushes past me rather harshly making all of my books drop to the ground. "Sorry." Hermione mumbles helping me pick the books up. "It's not your fault." I sigh as another girl walking past kicks the books. "What's going on?" Cedric asks suddenly appearing and helping me up. "Everyone hates me." I mumble as Hermione leaves. "What why?" 

"I'm guessing you haven't read the paper?" He shakes his head confusion all over his face, "Rita skeeter published an article claiming that I left you heartbroken after cheating on you." His face softens as he notices more glares being thrown my way, "that's ridiculous." He says wrapping an arm around me and holding my books for me. "You aren't cheating on me. Are you?" I scoff as he laughs, "that's not funny Ced of course I'm not." He smiles at me and then kisses me dramatically in front of everyone making them all fall silent as they watch us. 

"Oi everyone, leave my girlfriend alone she didn't do anything wrong. You should know better than to believe everything you read." He says making me blush, "don't worry love I've got your back." He winks. 

• • • 

"Miss Malfoy." Professor Moody stops me as I'm walking back towards the common room, "yes sir?" He smiles at me, "come with me Professor McGonagall would like to see you." My eyebrows furrow, why did McGonagall want to see me? "Oh ok." I nod following after him. "Ok in you go." He says patting me on the back before limping away. "Professor?" I ask once she lets me in, I see Ron and Hermione here as well. "Come in and take a seat Miss Malfoy." I look towards the other two, "do you know what this is about?" I ask them making the two shake their heads. Just then another person joins us. It's a young girl I had come to recognise as Fluer's younger sister. Just then I realise we all had a relation to each champion. Was this about the task tomorrow? 

Once Professor McGonagall explains why we were there I look at her in disbelief, "you want to tie us down in the lake?" I ask, glancing at the young girl beside me, "is it safe?" McGonagall nods her head, "perfectly, we wouldn't do this if it wasn't." She assures me but I look at all of the younger kids unsurely, I didn't want them to get hurt, but Professor McGonagall wouldn't let us get hurt so I'm sure we'd be fine. 

• • • 

I gasp and look around in confusion, I cough up quite a bit of water, my lungs beginning to panic and my limbs flail as I realise I was in the lake. "You're ok, I got you, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Cedric says making me realise he was holding me. "Cedric?" I ask with a grin, "yeah I've got you love it's ok." He tells me, "I can swim you know." I tell him but he just kisses my cheek and swims over to the platform holding me securely. 

Once we're out of the water we're given towels, I shiver and try to collect my thoughts. "Here." Cedric says wrapping his towel around me too noting my shaking form, "I don't want you to catch a cold." He says but I wrap his towel back around him, "I don't want you getting ill either." 

"I'm really sorry." He apologies making my eyebrows furrow, "what why?" He looks very guilty as he places his hand on my cheek, "for getting you into this mess, I never want you to be in any kind of danger." I lean into his hand as he speaks, "Ced-" I'm not sure if he hears me since he just keeps on rambling that he's sorry and how he loves me and doesn't want me in danger.

"Ced... Cedric it's ok it's not your fault." I tell him sincerely seeing the guilt all over his face. "I actually think it's quite endearing that I'm the thing you'd miss most." I say with a smile as I grab his hand from my cheek and press a kiss to his palm. "Merlin you don't know how much I love you." He whispers brushing my wet hair from my face as he rubs his thumb over my cheek. "And you don't know how much I love you." I reply making him lean down to kiss me. 

I had forgotten that we were being watched by the whole school until I heard the cheers breakout at our kiss, I'm sure my face is red from all the attention but I can't tell because it's kind of numb from the cold. I glance into the crowd not really sure for who I'm looking for but I spot the twins immediately, Fred looks kind of angry actually, well angry or hurt I can't really tell. I feel a bit concerned especially when he meets my eye only to clench his jaw and look away, that was odd but I try to not think so much on it. Maybe he was just concerned because Harry hadn't come up yet. 

"Hey come here." Cedric says pulling me into his arms as I shiver slightly, I relax into his hold, my back against his chest his head resting on my shoulder with his arms wrapped securely around me, I feel warmer already. 

"Thanks for saving me." I whisper turning my head to the side and pressing a quick kiss to his jaw. 

"I wish you weren't in the position in the first place but I'll always save you, no matter what, always Lyra." 

Once everyone's out Cedric's announced the winner and we cheer loudly, very loudly until I notice who was stood beside us. It was Rita Skeeter already writing her next article, with no one watching I may have 'accidentally' tripped her so that she fell into the black lake. I laughed with everyone else until I noticed Dumbledore watching me a knowing smile on his face. My own smile drops thinking I'd be in trouble but I'm pleasantly surprised when he winks at me an amused twinkle in his eye. I guess even he could appreciate how annoying she was.

• • • 

After the win Cedric is swept up by his housemates and many many friends I don't mind though I wanted him to celebrate he deserved it and so I slipped out of the crowd and began making my way up to the castle alone. 

"Oi Malfoy!" I turn to see Fred just a few steps behind me. "What's up Weasley?" I ask stopping so that he can catch up, "are you ok?" He asks with what looks like concern all over his face, I feel a warmth begin to spread through me even though I was still soaked and freezing. "Aww do you care?" I tease trying to ignore the way his gaze was making me feel, "of course I care without you I'd have no to prank when I'm bored in potions." I roll my eyes with a small smile, "you're lucky my eyebrows grew back." I say remembering what he'd done not so long ago. 

"Where's George?" I ask knowing of how the two of them barely ever could be found without each other, yet now that I thought on it, Fred and I seemed to encounter each other a fair amount of times his twin no where in sight. "Why?" I shrug as we walk, "because he's my favourite twin, you know this already Fred keep up." Now it's his turn to roll his eyes. 

"Are you cold?" He asks noticing my slightly shaking form, "a bit but once I get to the castle I can heat up." If I'd had my wand with me I could've warmed myself ages ago but no it was up in the castle. "I can heat you up right now if you want?" He laughs as I make a face. 

"Wow Malfoy you need to get your mind out of the gutter that's not what I meant." My cheeks heat up as I feel embarrassed for even thinking that, "but I mean if you wanted to..." I laugh and push him, "don't be silly I'm-" 

"I was only kidding I know that you're with pretty boy Diggory, it's hard to miss when the two of you make quite the spectacle of it." I notice that even though he's trying to speak lightly his voice has a bit of edge behind it. 

We walk in a slightly awkward silence after that, I keep glancing at him unsure on what to say but he looks deep in thought himself and so I look down and think about finally getting to the castle and warming up, I was so cold I hadn't even been wearing my jumper when they stunned me. 

I jump slightly once I feel something on my shoulders, I look to just see that it was Fred he'd draped his jacket around my shivering body. "Since you were cold." He says quietly making me smile softly at him, "thanks but don't you need it?" He shakes his head and wraps his scarf around me too, "wouldn't want you catching a cold now would we." He says smiling down at me I can't help but just stare back at him wordlessly, it was as if someone had stolen all the breath from my body. 

"Wow you're really cold huh?" He asks after noticing how I'd shivered once his fingers brushed against my neck, "yeah." I mumble weakly knowing that it wasn't the cold that had caused the reaction. He then takes his hat of and places it on my head, "cute." He mumbles making me blush, "what are you-" 

"You need it more than I do." He says, "besides you suit it way more." I let out a small laugh as we begin walking again before grabbing his hand to stop him, "thank you Fred." 

"Anytime Lyra."


	13. T H I R T E E N

"I'm nervous." I look up from my book at Cedric's random outburst, "it's ok, you're going to do amazing." I try to assure him, "you think?" He asks, "I know, but what are you nervous about?" I ask giving him my full attention. "It's just, well there's so much pressure on me, if I don't win- I don't want to disappoint anyone. My dad he's got so much faith that I'll win." I chew on my lip as I listen to him speak before grabbing his hand. "You don't need to worry so much. You've done amazingly and everyone's so proud of you, I believe that you'll win too. But if you don't it doesn't matter, no ones gonna love you any less and no one will be disappointed in you." He brings out joined hands to his lips and kisses mine, "thank you." He says as I blush, "anytime now let's continue practicing your spells." 

• • • 

"Good luck, not that you need it." Cedric grins, "no kiss?" I smile, "in front of everyone?" He nods, "why not, let's make them jealous that I've got the most beautiful girl in school." I giggle, "more like cause I've got the most handsome boy." He looks at me expectantly, "fine." I giggle wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. "One more?" He asks making me laugh, "for luck." He says making me nod, "for luck." I repeat doing what he had asked. "Ok one last one." I giggle and pull away. "That's enough." I say making him pout. "Stay safe and be brave." He nods, "for you." 

"Ok." I sigh once the champions are called to the field, "Cedric!" I giggle once he kisses me again. "I love you." He says making me swoon, "I love you too, now go." I say pushing him in that direction. 

"Earlier today Professor Moody placed the tri-wizards cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now as Mr Diggory..." The crowd cheer on hearing his name, Mr Diggory raises Cedric's arm at the cheers making Cedric become embarrassed and pull his arm back down. 

"and Mr Potter tied for first position they will be the first to enter the maze. Followed by Mr Krum..." The bulgarian crowd go nuts. "The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter, if at any point should a contestant wish to withdraw from the task he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands. Contestants, gather round." 

"Champions! Prepare yourselves." Cedric hugs his father. "On the count of three... ONE..." The cannon goes off. Mr Filch shrugs as Dumbledore groans. Harry and Cedric make their way to their respective entrances. Cedric looks back for a second our eyes lock so I blow him a kiss he smiles, winks at me and then he's gone. 

• • • 

We wait for ages, Fred and George keeping me entertained as the tournament goes on. Everyone's chatting excitedly about what they think will happen but the longer it goes on the more nervous I become, they'd be alright wouldn't they? I just had a pit in my stomach feeling like something was going to go terribly wrong and then there's red sparks we all watch in interest wondering who needed help. 

The bad feeling doesn't go away once it's revealed to be Fleur instead seeing the state she was in just made me worry more. "Cheer up Malfoy, pretty boy Diggory is going to be fine." Fred says throwing an arm around my shoulder. "I know, but I just- I'm worried." I admit my mind thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong. "Hey he's going to be fine, he'll be back in no time and the two of you can be the obnoxious couple you are." I roll my eyes before laughing, "we're not obnoxious." 

"Sure whatever you say love." 

• • • 

After what feels like forever Harry appears with Cedric. The crowd all cheer, triumphant music starts to play, I jump up a grin on my face until I realise that Harry's weeping over Cedric's body which still hasn't moved. My heart drops to my stomach and I feel sick as Fleur lets out a scream. "Harry! Harry!" Dumbledore tries to pry Harry from Cedric's body as I run past everyone and drop to the ground beside his body. "Tell me what happened!" He instructs, "He's back, he's back! Voldemort's back. Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back. I couldn't leave him, not there." Harry sobs making me feel so much worse. My hands shake and my eyes blur as I grab onto his face. "C-Ced? Cedric?" I ask my voice wavering, "Cedric please, please wake up, Ced please." I let out a sob as my head drops so our foreheads are touching."N-no, no no no Ced please. Cedric! Cedric please please don't be gone p-please don't leave me." My body shudders as I smooth his hair away from his face. "Don't leave me." I repeat in a whisper over and over not even knowing what was going on around me. 

"Let me through! That's my son! My boy!" I can't help the tears that escape as I watch Mr Diggory break down over Cedric's body, I felt suffocated I couldn't be here right now I had to get away I felt like I was about to be sick.

Then someone wraps an arm around my waist I fight against the strong grip and cry out trying to get back to Cedric. "Lyra! Lyra calm down that's enough. Calm down." The person says turning me around to face them as I sob. It was Moody we were away from where everyone else had been and I see Harry sat on the ground a short way away from us. "Lyra it's ok, everything's going to be ok." He says grabbing my face so that I can't move my head as he looks into my eyes. I go quiet in shock so he takes that as his sign to let my face go and wrap an arm back around my waist before pulling us over to pick sobbing Harry up with his other. 

He sits me down in his classroom before taking Harry to his office, he limps back over to me after telling Harry to take a seat. "I will be back for you in just a moment ok? Make sure that you stay here." He says his hands on either side of my face again, "ok?" I nod still not really processing his words properly. "Everything's going to be ok, I'll be back for you." He repeats before kissing the top of my head and leaving shocked and confused. 

Did he really just kiss the top of my head? He'd been off to me all year but something felt seriously wrong now I ignore what he had instructed and get out of my seat, I stand outside of his closed office and press my ear to the door, what the hell was happening? 

"The cup was a portkey. Someone had bewitched it." Harry says making me inch closer, "What was it like? What was he like?" Professor Moody was acting so weird and I'm sure he was the person who had the cup last. "Who?" Harry asks confused, "The dark lord. What was it like to stand in his presence?" My hand inches for the door handle, "I dunno. It was like I'd fallen into  
one of my dreams. One of my nightmares." 

I hear a commotion going on inside, "Were there others? In the graveyard, were there others?" Graveyard? "Um. I don't think I said anything about a graveyard Professor." I pull at the door but it's locked, "Marvellous creatures dragons aren't they? Do you think that miserable oaf would have led you into the woods if I hadn't suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would have told you to Hold the egg under the water if I hadn't have told him first myself? Do you think Neville Longbottom the witless wonder could have provided you with gilliweed if I hadn't have given him the book that led you straight to it? Huh??" Hearing him say Cedric's name made me so unbelievably angry. 

"Who are you?" I ask pointing my wand at him as I pull Harry behind me, "wouldn't you like to know? Put the wand down Miss Malfoy, I wouldn't want to damage your pretty little face." He smirks maliciously, Harry puts a hand on my arm asking me to do what he says and so I comply but I keep myself in front of Harry, I wouldn't let anything happen to him. 

"It was you from the beginning. You put my name in the goblet of fire. You bewitched Krum. But..." Mad-Eye makes sobbing noises making fun of Harry as he steps closer to us, "You won because I made it so Potter. You ended up in that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so. And now the deed is done. The blood that runs through these veins runs within the dark lord. Imagine how he will reward me when he learns that I have once and for all silenced the great Harry Potter." Moody steps closer again so there was almost no space between us, "move Miss Malfoy." He says but I glare at him, "no." I say standing my ground, he didn't have his wand on him so I was at the advantage here I just had to make sure that I acted at the right time. 

"Move before I move you." He says bringing his face so close to mine that just a touch closer and his lips would be on mine, "I'd like to see you try." I glare moving a step back once he drags a finger down the side of my face. "Such a pity." He murmurs before turning around going for his wand, whilst his back was turned I quickly raise my wand and blast him into the wall. 

Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall come rushing in. Dumbledore takes Mad-Eye by the neck and forces him into the chair, "Severus..." he calls, Snap administers some veritaserum. Mad-Eye wriggles demonically making me hold onto Harry extra protectively. "Do you know who I am?" Dumbledore asks. "Albus Dumbledore." Moody replies in a bitter tone, "Are you Alastor Moody? Are ya?" 

"No." The imposter replies, "Is he in this room? Is he in this room?" We see a nod and he glances towards the chest Harry and I were stood near. "Get away from there!" I pull Harry to the other side of the room as Dumbledore approaches the chest. The chest opens, it contains a series of smaller chests. Dumbledore looks to down to see the real Moody, 

"That's Moody, but then who's...?" Harry trails off confused, Dumbledore holds up one of Mad-Eye's Bottles. "Polyjuice potion." Snape says, "Now we know who's been stealing it from your store Severus. Dumbledore looks into the pit. "We'll get you up in a minute." I hear a groan from the real Moody in the chest, 

The Mad-Eye Moody they have captive in a chair begins to twitch about restlessly making strange noises. He appears to be transforming. He rips off his fake eyepiece  
which falls on the floor, we see that he's transformed into someone else. "Barty Crouch Junior." My eyes widen, that was Barty crouch's son? "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." He smirks holding his arm out, Barty Jr rolls up his sleeve to reveal a skull and snake marking. "Your arm Harry." Dumbledore demands seeing a long cut down his arm blood all around it. 

"You know what this means don't you? He's back. Lord Voldemort has returned." I feel chills run down my spine at his words and the crazed look in his eye."Send an owl to Azkaban, think they'll find they're missing a prisoner." Dumbledore instructs, "I'll be welcomed back like a hero." He hisses, "Perhaps. Personally I've never had much time for heroes." Dumbledore says turning away. 

"What about you, you like a good hero don't you Lyra?" Barty asks me, looking me up and down making me shift uncomfortable under his animalistic gaze, Harry pulls me backwards trying to shield me from his gaze. "Miss Malfoy would you please take Mr potter to the hospital wing?" I nod and grab Harry's uninjured arm, "see you soon Lyra." I wince as Barty winks at me making me feel so uncomfortable and basically sprint from the room. 

"T-thank you for helping me." Harry says disrupting the silence that we were walking in, "are you alright?" I ask him honestly, he nods, "Harry, at the graveyard, were there others?" I repeat Barty's question Harry looks at me reluctantly but nods. "My dad was there wasn't he?" Harry didn't need to say anything his face told me everything. I nod and then begin to cry again, he'd been there, he'd been there with support for the man that killed my boyfriend. Harry looks nervous and afraid as he stops walking to wrap his arms around me. 

He lets me cry in his arms until I compose myself, "I'm sorry." I murmur weakly but he shakes his head, "lets get you to the hospital wing." I say not wanting to talk anymore.


	14. F O U R T E E N

Once we get to the hospital wing madam Pomfrey takes Harry and I spot Cedric's parents by one of the beds the curtain was drawn for privacy but Mrs Diggory had spotted me. She calls me over making me swallow nervously as soon as I get there I can't help but join the two as they cry, seeing Cedric's body up close it was horrifying. 

I turn away not wanting to look anymore as Mrs Diggory wraps me in her arms, we stand there crying together as we take in the loss of the boy we had both loved so much. 

Both adults leave me for a moment so that I can say goodbye to Cedric. I grab onto his cold and stiff hand, "I can't believe that I have to say goodbye to you." I sniffle, "thank you for everything Cedric, you showed me what true love was and what it was like to be loved unconditionally, you made my life better in so many ways and I'm going to be grateful to you forever. This last year we spent together was honestly the best year of my life and I don't know if I'll ever find anyone as perfect as you were. I love you Ced so much, so so much and I don't think I'll ever stop loving you. You were such a special boy you made me so much better and I just don't know how I'm supposed to live without you now." I cry and cry not being able to say anything else until Mrs Diggory pulls me from his body. 

"T-they have to take him now." She tells me tearfully making me cry harder, "he loved you so much, all of the letters he sent to me were about you." She says trying to make me feel better, "I'm sorry." I cry making her shake her at me tearfully, "you made him so happy, thank you." She says wiping my eyes trying not cry herself. 

• • • 

The common room is empty once I get back except for one person who stands when they see me enter. "Lyra." He says walking to me his face falling once he sees mine, I don't say anything instead I just wrap my arms around him and hold him close. "Please don't be mad at me anymore." I plead my voice weak from all the crying, his arms tighten, "I'm sorry." He apologies, "I'm sorry." I say, Draco and I had always been so close, the two of us not speaking this year was weird and it hurt I just hoped that things would work out for us in the future. 

• • • 

"Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss. Cedric Diggory was as you all know, exceptionally hard working, intricately fair minded. And most importantly a fierce fierce friend. I think therefore you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. The ministry of magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so I think would be an insult to his memory. Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of recent events the bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain, you remember that. And we'll celebrate a boy who was kind and honest and brave and true right to the very end." I cry silently thorough Dumbledore's speech Daphne holding my hand tightly letting me know that she was there for me. 

• • • 

"Are you going to be alright?" Daphne asks me, as we were all getting ready to go home for the summer. "You know that you can stay with me and my family." She offers making me smile and shake my head, "thank you but I'll be alright." She looks unsure, "where will you go?" I shrug, "I'll find somewhere." I assure her. I didn't know where I was going to go, Mr and Mrs Diggory had invited me to stay with them but I couldn't do it, it'd be too painful. I would find somewhere.

• • • 

"Harry?" I give him a small surprised smile as he approaches me nervously. "Cedric wanted me to tell you something." I feel my breath hitch, "h-he said that he loved you and to be brave." Tears spill over my cheeks as I listen to the last words Cedric had wanted me to hear. "Thank you." I whisper as I hug Harry, "I'm sorry." He mumbles quietly, "you have no reason to be." I assure him as I let go of him. "You stay safe now yeah?" He sends me a hesitant smile and nods, "you too." 

• • • 

"Lyra." My face drops as my parents approach me as I get off of the train, "what are you doing?" I ask them coldly, "we're here to take you home." I scoff and pull away from them, "I'm not going home with you." I wouldn't live with them not if my father could support such a vile man. "Lyra don't be ridiculous, you're coming with us at once." I match my fathers glare, be brave I remind myself. "No." I say adamantly, "you kicked me out of your house for nothing and I don't want to return." Mother pulls on his arm sadly, "let her go Lucius." She says sending me a sad smile. 

I look to Draco who was watching me sadly and I beg him to come with me, he looks between father and I and he doesn't move I sigh and nod, "bye." I tell them turning around. 

As I walk away I feel so free like I can actually breathe clearly now that a weight had been lifted the only thing I regretted was the fact that I wasn't able to convince Draco to come with me.


	15. F I F T E E N

"Professor?" I ask confused once I open my apartment door, I was not expecting to see Professor Dumbledore on the other end. "May I come in Miss Malfoy?" He asks after I don't move, "yes of course, sorry." I say shaking my head and moving to the side so that he may enter. 

"Um I hope you don't mind me asking Professor but what are you doing here?" For the past month I'd been staying in a small muggle village. It was quite lovely really muggles were fascinating, their ignorance on the wizarding world quite wonderful. "I came to offer you a place to stay." He explains making me nod, "oh thank you but I'm quite alright here." I shrug glancing around the cozy apartment. "This is delightful but the place I'm talking about is because I want you to join a secret organisation." I nod my head watching him in interest, "it's called the order of the Phoenix, I had first formed it when Voldemort was around the first time but now that he's back." I nod understanding, "and you want me to join why?" I never thought anyone would trust me with stuff like this I was a Malfoy my family wasn't exactly trustworthy. 

"When you protected Harry with your life against Barty Crouch Jr you showed us your potential." I pull on the sleeves of my cardigan, "your family doesn't define you Lyra." He says as though he knew what I were thinking, "Professor Lupin told me that too." I say smiling slightly. "A wise man he is. Are you interested in joining?" He asks me, "this organisation it's for taking Voldemort down?" I confirm and he nods, "then yes." I wanted him to pay for what he had done to Cedric. "Wonderful, now come along to headquarters you can return later to get your belongings." He says holding his arm out, "it is to my knowledge that you passed your apperation examination?" I nod, "perfect." 

• • • 

Once Dumbledore and I arrive at the so called headquarters I begin to feel a bit self conscious I hadn't even had time to change. "Come along Miss Malfoy." I nod and run slightly to catch up the headmasters quick pace. I trail after him like a child as he walks into what looks like an intense meeting. "Albus what's this, who've you brought with you?" The real Moody says noticing me hiding behind Dumbledore. I'd never actually met this man although I'd spent a year with a man pretending to be him. 

"This is Lyra Malfoy our newest recruit for the order." Dumbledore tells everyone confidentially making them all react in different way. I feel comforted when I see Professor Lupin he sends me a warm reassuring smile, "a Malfoy Albus really?" Moody asks in obvious distaste as he looks at me. "Come on Alistair you know that family doesn't define a person." Sirius black says surprising me, "besides she hates her father almost as much as we do." He adds making my eyebrows furrow, "how do you know that?" I ask before I can help myself, "well you know me as Sirius but others know me as Padfoot."

I smile slightly "that's funny I was friends with a..." my eyes widen as I put it together, "You were the dog?" I ask feeling so incredibly embarrassed, I cover my face with my hands as he chuckles and nods, "no, I thought you couldn't understand me." I say remembering how I poured my whole heart and soul to that dog. "I understood every word." He smirks, "hold on what's going on?" Remus asks, "back when I first escaped Azkaban and hid out on Hogwarts grounds I bumped into Lyra here, first I had mistaken her for my cousin, but she took care of me everyday, fed me and spoke to me. She's a kind and trustworthy person." He tells the rest seriously, making me smile slightly, "oh wow big deal she looked after a dog." Moody says still glaring at me, making me start pulling at my sleeves again. "Moody judging someone of how they treat animals is very beneficial, see if it had been her father he would've probably kicked me." I wince knowing it was true.

"Besides she also shared her whole life story with me, she takes after the better side of the family." He winks at me making me laugh, "on the topic of her father how do we know that she won't go running back to him?" Moody was really paranoid. "I won't." I say surely, "I would never, I don't agree with my fathers thoughts or beliefs, I want what all of you want to take Voldemort down." I say surprising them all. "Why should we believe you?" I shrug, "I don't know what I can say to make you believe me but I'm being sincere I'd never help my father and his 'master' help innocent people, I'd rather die." I was still nervous but I was trying to swallow them and I hoped they would let me stay. 

"What's going on here?" Mr Weasley says as he enters the room with his wife, "uh hi again sir." I wave once his eyes land on me. "Dumbledore here wants Lyra to join the order." Sirius explains, "she looks so young." Mrs Weasley says making her way over to me, "how old are you dear?" She asks in a warm tone that almost brings me to tears, I missed my mother even if she hadn't been the most affectionate. "Seventeen." She gasps, "Albus you can't be serious." She says turning to Dumbledore who'd been watching the whole thing silently. "I believe Miss Malfoy would be a valuable addition." I watch mrs Weasleys face change as she hears my surname, she doesn't become cold to me but she looks weary. 

"As for your concerns Alistair, Lyra here proved herself when she protected Harry a few months ago against a death eater without a second thought, she risked her life to ensure his safety and successfully duelled him." Everyone turns to me looking impressed, but Dumbledore was being a tad dramatic I didn't duel him, I just used a spell on him once his back was turned. "Also Miss Malfoy has not had any contact with her family after Lucius kicked her out when she was fifteen, the only exception being refusing to go back after Voldemort murdered her boyfriend Cedric Diggory." My eyes sting at the mention of Cedric I quickly wipe the stray tears as everyone now looks at me in pity. 

"Oh poor dear." Mrs Weasley says pulling me into a warm hug which I melt into, this hug was perfect it felt like I'd been missing this kind of warmth my whole life. "I trust Miss Malfoy whole heartedly as should the rest of you." Dumbledore says before leaving making everyone turn to me. "Hi." I mumble giving an awkward wave. 

"So why'd your dad kick you out? What did you do?" My eyes meet the girl who'd been quiet at the end of the table, she shrugs as people tell her off for the question, "you're Nymphadora." I say before I can stop myself making her hair turn red, "technically but please call me Tonks." I nod, "how'd you know?" She asks, "oh my mum had a box of letters from your mum hidden in our house, I also saw you around Hogwarts in my first year." 

"Anyways you still haven't told us what you did?" I glance at all the curious faces, "you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to Lyra." Professor Lupin tells me, "I didn't really do anything, I caught my boyfriend cheating on me so I broke up with him." Everyone looks confused, "that got you kicked out?" I nod, "father said I should apologise and put more effort in, you see my boyfriend at the time well our parents and arranged for us to marry in the future and so my father wanted me to get back with him." Mrs Weasley looks disgusted at the thought, "for what?" 

"For reputation and such, then when he found out that I was going out with c-cedric, he said I'd only be allowed home once I broke up with him and begged my ex to take me back, and when Ced... died he came and said I could go home, but I couldn't not with him not after all the stories the fake Moody told me." I say feeling uncomfortable with all the eyes on me but if it was one way to get them to trust me then so be it. "Fake Moody?" Professor Lupin asks, "Barty Crouch Jr, he was pretending to be Professor Moody." 

"Is he the one who tried to attack Harry." I nod,"what happened?" I wince thinking back to that day. "After Harry brought C- after the tournament he grabbed both Harry and I, he pulled us off of Cedric taking advantage of our shock as well as everyone else's. He made me sit in his classroom and sent Harry up to his office. He told me not to move, to wait for him but I went to the door anyways because he'd always felt off to me, he was always either hitting on me or just being creepy." I shudder remembering his behaviour. "At least you had an admirer." Tonks says making me laugh, "no, I'd rather that he didn't admire me, he actually kissed me which is what initially broke me from my grief stricken daze." I say making everyone look a mixture of appalled and disgusted. "Um but I listened in from the door and then once he made a mistake in the story I just went in and pulled Harry behind me, he threatened me and Harry got worried and made me lower my wand, so I did so until he tried to attack Harry, I kept Harry behind me refusing to move as Barty got angry with me and then I blasted him into the wall and thankfully Dumbledore came. I didn't really do much." I shrug, "what you did was incredibly brave Lyra." Lupin says as the others nod. 

"Where have you been staying all this time dear?" Miss Weasley asks me, "oh well last year I stayed with Ced- the Diggorys they said I could stay with them again but I-" I take a breath trying not to cry. "But since school ended I've been staying alone in a small muggle village." She frowns at that, "no don't worry it's a nice place, my dad my be a twat but at least he didn't take my money." I shrug trying to be lighthearted it makes Sirius and Tonks laugh, Lupin shakes his head but I see the amused smile on his face even mr Weasley cracks a smile.


	16. S I X T E E N

As the other members begin to leave I relax in my seat, "you can't ever repeat anything that I told you." I say to Sirius making him grin mischievously, "I'd never!" He says over dramatically placing a hand on his chest making me laugh, "I still can't believe you were the dog, I got really sad and worried when you disappeared." He smiles, "well as you can see I'm fine." 

"Hey mum what's for-" I jump up at the familiar voice I recognised as one of the twins, I didn't know that the Weasleys were staying here, I thought their parents were just here for the meeting. "George!" I exclaim excitedly as I spot the tall red head, "Lyra!" He calls back just as excited, I'd finally admit that along with Daphne the twins were my only friends. 

I laugh as he hugs me, "what're you doing here?" He asks me shocked, "I got to join the secret club." I wink making him look to his mum in disbelief as if to say it wasn't fair. "Malfoy?" Fred asks confused joining us, "hi." I wave slightly shyly, I'd never really hugged Fred the closest we ever got was when we danced together at the Yule ball. 

But I wrap my arms around him anyways, "you cut your hair." I mumble for some reason running my hand through his hair making the two of us blush as I notice George and Sirius smirking. "I missed you." I find myself saying, "I knew you loved me." He chuckles making my cheeks heat up, "so Fred gets an I miss you but I just got George?" I turn to the other twin, "you know that you're my favourite twin George we just have to make Fred feel important sometimes." I joke laughing as Fred pushes me straight into George who catches me. "Fred where are your manners?" Mrs Weasley asks slapping her son upside the head making both George and I laugh under our breaths. 

"Why're you here?" Fred asks, "not that I'm not glad you are." He adds quickly as the three of us sit, "Dumbledore wanted me to join the order, I should be going back home soon actually." I mumble looking at the time, "nonsense you'll stay here with us, what good is being cooped up alone?" Mrs Weasley interjects, "yeah there's plenty of space here." Sirius adds, "Fred and George go with Lyra to help her bring her stuff here." I smile slightly I mean being alone was peaceful but it was very lonely. 

"Thank you." I say to both Sirius and Mrs Weasley who shake their heads, "you're family are you not? Besides us family disappointments have got to stick together." Sirius says me grin. "Go on boys before it gets late." Mrs Weasleys ushers, "you know I think just Fred should go, he can handle it and I injured myself so I can't do any heavy lifting." George says after a moment smirking at Fred who rolls his eyes. 

"I mean I don't have much, so I could even go alone."'I say, "absolutely not go with her Fred." She doesn't say anything to George who deepens his smirk, looking very proud of himself. "He can't apparate yet so you're going to need to hold his hand." George winks making both Fred and I look at each other with slight blushes on our cheeks. I shrug and hold my hand out Fred placing his in mine, I try to not focus on the warmth it brings me and instead take us to my apartment. 

"Cozy." He murmurs looking around, it was pretty small with one bedroom and the kitchen in the living room. "I can apparate." He says after a second making my brows furrow, "George thinks he's so funny." I say making Fred laugh, "I know he should know that I'm the funny one." Now it's my turn to laugh, "whatever you say." I quickly use magic to pack my minimal things, "have you really not gone home?" Fred asks me making me shrug, "the manor isn't home, it's just a house and yeah I haven't been since fifth year." I say making him frown, "sorry." I shake my head, "don't be, it's gonna be so much more fun living with you." He smiles and then we leave. 

"Back so soon?" George questions with a smirk, "shut up George." I laugh as Fred's cheeks dust pink, "George take Lyra's things up to her room." Mrs Weasley instructs making me smile sweetly as his mouth drops, "but my injury." He protests, "I know that there's no injury." she says making Fred and I laugh as he grumbles and does what he's told. "Let me help." I offer, "it's alright dear he can handle it why don't you sit, are you hungry?" She asks making me nod, "a bit." She smiles, "great because dinner is ready." Then she screams for the others to come to dinner. 

Ron Hermione and Ginny come running for food only to halt once they see me, "Lyra?" Hermione asks with a smile, "in the flesh." I'd never spoken to the two younger Weasleys so I kind of just wave awkwardly, "hi." Ginny smiles as she sits opposite me, "I'm Ginny." She introduces holding her hand out, "Lyra." I say taking it, "how did you end up friends with these dimwits?" She asks making me laugh, "hey!" The twins exclaim in unison, "they're not that bad." I defend making them grin at me, "aww Malfoy you're too sweet." They say pinching at my cheeks as though I were a baby. "Stop it." I laugh swatting at their hands.

"They're annoying at times but they can actually be very nice." I tell Ginny making her scoff, "these two? As if." She says not believing me, "I know it's hard to believe but they've been very nice to me...at times." I say, "don't say at times, when's one time we've been annoying or mean?" They ask, "how about when you made my potions explode in my face right after I'd been crying because I found Adrian cheating on me?" I ask making them both go quiet, "ok but we didn't know why you were crying." They say, "yet you had known that I had been crying?" Ginny throws some bunched up paper at them, "gits." She murmurs making me laugh. 

"Ok but we've been very nice to you too." I nod, "that's true, I never even properly thanked you for that time with my boggart." I remember, "see." They say turning to their younger sister, "what did they do?" 

"Well when it was my turn to face my boggart I froze up when it turned into my dad Fred stepped in front of me quickly and George distracted the class with some prank thing making sure that no one would see." I say making Molly smile as she was walking past and happened to hear. "Aren't you sweet boys." She beams making them grin, "we've been telling you this and you're all just mean to us for no reason." They say making everyone roll their eyes at them.


	17. Seventeen

"Come home Lyra and join the dark Lord." I pull my grip from my fathers arm, "no I'd rather die." I hiss, "he will kill you, just please listen to me Lyra." I shake my head, "let him kill me then, I could never follow him especially after what he did to Cedric." Father scoffs, "you're still upset about that worthless Hufflepuff boy?" He sneers making me glare at him, "don't you speak about him like that! Cedric was a better man than you'll ever be." I hiss making him glare at me and grab me harshly, "ow let go of me." I say but that only makes his grip tighten, "you will obey the dark Lord." He hisses at me as he drags me along. "Let me go!" I repeatedly scream as I try to fight his grip. 

"Lyra, Lyra calm down you're safe, you're safe." I gasp as I try and fight whoever's holding me, I realise that it's just Sirius so I relax and instead just pant trying to get my breath back. "I'm sorry." I tell him breathlessly as he shakes his head, "it's alright." He says letting go of me, "what were you dreaming about?" I take a deep breath, "my father." I whisper making him frown, "you're safe here Lyra he can't get to you, we won't let that happen." I can't help but start crying, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," what was going on with me, "hey it's alright, don't cry. Tell me what happened in the dream." 

I close my eyes as I think it over, "he- he was trying to get me to join them, to join Voldemort he said that if I didn't he'd kill me, then he said Cedric was worthless and he grabbed me, he began dragging me saying I had to join them I- I tried fighting his grip but I couldn't." I say as Sirius puts a hand on my arm, "it wasn't real Lyra he won't get you, I promise we will keep you safe." I smile slightly and wipe my eyes, "do you think he'll try and take me?" I ask after a second, "who knows but if he thinks he can then he's got another thing coming." He winks making me laugh. 

"I'm sorry for waking you." He shrugs, "I was awake anyways I couldn't sleep I was actually just about to go and get a cup of warm milk, do you want to join me?" I smile and nod making him smile, "ok come on but quiet not to wake the others." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Sirius tried to keep my mind off of my nightmare as we sit together in the kitchen instead we talk about what we had when he was a dog him actually replying this time. "You know I thought I was going crazy thinking you were actually replying to me." I say making him laugh, "I was surprised that you understood what I was trying to say as a dog." I shrug, "what can I say I'm a very perceptive person." 

"So what's going on between you and the Weasley boy?" I shrug, "me and Fred? Nothing why?" He smirks making me confused, "what?" I ask with a nervous laugh, "I didn't specify which one I was talking about so why did you immediately think of Fred?" I'm at a loss of words all I can do is blush. "You're forgetting that you told Padfoot about the crush you had on him back in your second and third years." He teases making me blush harder. "That's not fair." I whine before I think about it, "I suppose I may have always liked Fred, but when I was with Adrian I forced myself to love him because that's what I thought love was. And I just lost Cedric, is it not too soon?" I ask suddenly feeling guilty for even humouring the thought. "I loved him with my whole heart, he showed me what it meant to be loved but I don't think I'm ready to love someone else." 

"There is no right time, when you love someone you love them, you can't control it Lyra it just happens." I frown, "but I don't know if I love him, sure I like him he's lovely a good friend, handsome and he makes me feel good something I've appreciated heavily these past few weeks but I don't think I love him, not yet at least." 

"I know that it's not easy, especially when you come out of a love where it ends unexpectedly with no proper goodbye and it may feel like there's no healing, but there is and you have to open yourself up to it. Now I'm not saying you have to love him but if you do find yourself with feelings then don't feel guilty, are you afraid that your Cedric wouldn't want you to move on?" 

I shake my head, "Ced wasn't like that, he'd want me to be happy." I say feeling myself tear up, "then you have to let yourself be happy." The tears spill, "I don't know how to be happy without him, I still love him and I know that it's stupid because he's gone and I'll never see him again but I can't help it." He places his hand over mine, "it's ok Lyra, these feelings are natural it's not stupid, I lost someone too." I look up and wipe my tears, "it may feel like the pain will never stop but it will eventually and then all you remember are the good parts and how much you did love them and how you may never get over that love." 

"And like I said you don't need to be falling in love anyways, it was just an if, you'll know when you're ready." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Spending time here was amazing Sirius and I talked more we had grown rather close and I helped Fred and George with their products, I even tested a few for them, let me just say those puking pastilles disgusting traumatising never again. They had gotten something wrong and so I threw up way more than I was supposed to, I even almost choked on the amount of vomit that was leaving my body whilst also leaving me unable to breathe. 

Ginny Hermione and I had fun sleepovers some days where we'd talk boys, Hermione was definitely feeling something for Ron and Ginny for Harry but I kept quiet on it because if I ever mentioned their feelings they would tease me about Fred. 

Mrs Weasley was so lovely and caring she didn't treat me any different to her children and I loved it, they had been so welcoming and treated me like I was apart of the family and I honestly didn't even have the words to describe how much I appreciated this and there was no way I'd ever be able to pay them back for this kind of kindness.


	18. Eighteen

Mrs Weasley wanted to keep me out of the order meetings she said that I was should be able to remain a child for as long as possible, I didn't attend them all only a few. I preferred staying with the kids anyways. 

My nightmares had not really improved instead they had gotten worse sometimes so bad that I found myself unable to leave my room for a couple of days. Today was one of those days, "Lyra? Mums asking if you're coming down to eat?" Fred says on the other side of the door, "no thank you." I call out burying my face into my pillow, "come on Lyra you've not eaten for days." I don't say anything, "do you want me to bring you some food up?" He asks I don't respond feeling bad but hoping he'll leave. 

He returns five minutes later with two plates of food, "come on up you get we're going to eat together." My eyes widen as he enters the room, "Fred, you can't just come in like that what if I had been changing?" He shrugs, "then I would've been in for a treat?" He winks making me laugh. At the sound of my laughter he smiles, "see there's that smile we missed." He says before becoming a bit more serious, "what did you dream about this time?" I look down at my food, I couldn't tell him. 

"It's ok, want to hear about mine and George's latest idea?" I smile at the distraction and nod listening intently to the twins newest crazy invention. "I'm not testing this one for you." I say at hearing how it'd cause boils to take over your face. "Yeah we wouldn't want to ruin your pretty face, we can test it on Ron." He shrugs, "I don't think Ron would agree to that." I say, "who said we were going to tell him?" I laugh. 

"Are you feeling better now?" He asks after a moment I nod and smile, I don't know why I stayed alone when I felt like this, Fred and the others they always made me feel better. "Thank you, I should probably go down a and apologise to everyone." He shakes his head, "don't be silly, you don't need to apologise to anyone we all understand, but you should come down, fair warning though my mum might throw a party at seeing you." I laugh. 

I suddenly become nervous as we begin walking down the stairs, what would they all think about me? I'd been locked up in my room for five days with no interaction mrs Weasley must think I'm so rude. They take care of me, give me a place to stay and I ignore them. My thoughts are cut of once I feel a warm hand in mine, "stop worrying so much." Fred says as I look over at him, I smile my nerves settling and squeeze his hand as we enter the kitchen. 

"Oh Lyra dear you're down." Mrs Weasley says engulfing me in a hug, I smile as she holds me, "are you feeling better? Is there anything that I can get you?" I'm stunned for a second not used to this, if I were at the manor I would've gotten scolded for sure. "Oh no, thank you the food was delicious though thank you." She beams and pats my cheeks, "I'm glad you liked it, do you want some more you must be starving, you've not eaten in days." I give her a sheepish grin as I shake my head, "I'm alright really." But she shakes her head and sits me down, "Fred get Lyra another plateful." My eyes widen and I don't know how to decline I look to the others for help but they shake their heads and give me knowing smiles. 

"So anything interesting happen the past five days?" I ask leaning my head in my hands as I look at the others, "well other than Fred moping because you wouldn't come out of your room not much." George says shooting Fred a wink making him scowl at his brother as his cheeks heated to match the fiery red of his hair. "Don't tease him George you were moping too." Ginny says making me grin, "oh aren't you the sweetest, did you miss me Georgie?" I ask him as he looks to his sister dumbstruck. "We all did." I blink for a second not knowing what to say, I hadn't expected that and I feel my throat tighten as I feel as though I might cry. 

"Ah trouble is down I see." Sirius says as he enters the room smiling warmly at me as I smile sheepishly, "What've I told you about hiding out in your room?" He asks, "not to?" He nods, "so you do understand English then?" I can't help but laugh, "next time you come to us okay?" I nod making him smile and mess up my hair. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Not again. I groan as I sit up in the dark, why wouldn't these nightmares just leave me alone. I close my eyes as I relive the horrors my brain conjured and assure myself that it wasn't real. It had felt so real though that was what got to me. 

"Hi kreecher." I mumble slipping into the kitchen noticing the grumpy house elf, he hated everyone in this house and so he just makes a distasteful face at me and moves on mumbling under his breath.

I get myself some warm milk, it had become a habit ever since that first night I pick my wand up as I take small sips and watch as I make small charms that dance around in the darkness bringing a small smile to my face. "Can't sleep?" I jump turning my wand on whoever had just walked in. "Blimey Fred you were one second from getting hexed into next week." I sigh lowering the wand as he smiles amusement very clear on his face. 

"Another nightmare?" He asks taking a seat beside me, I nod, "why're you awake?" I ask making him shrug, "I was just coming down to get a glass of water." I nod and rest my head back on my arms. "You know we could get you some sleep potion if you wanted." He says after a second making me shake my head. "That's ok, I already tried, it doesn't work." 

"Want to go on a walk?" I look up at him a bit more awake, "now?" He nods and stands, "but it's the middle of the night." He shrugs and holds his hand out to me, "so?" I find myself smiling as I take it. "You're crazy Weasley." I say as we sneak out of the front door. "You love it Malfoy." He winks making me laugh as we walk hand in hand down the street. 

After walking around for a while I yawn, "tired?" I shake my head only to yawn again making Fred laugh. "Maybe just a bit." I shrug, "want a piggyback?" I look at him to see he was being deadly serious, "why? You're not going to drop me are you?" I question hesitantly, "why would I drop you?" He asks me in disbelief making me shrug, "have a little faith, it's going to be fun." When I still look unsure he rolls his eyes, "get on my back." 

Eventually I give in, "Merlin Fred you're like a giant." I say making him laugh really loud attracting the attention of the few other people out, a sweet elderly lady smiles at us. "Are you ready?" My eyebrows furrow, "ready for what?" He doesn't say anything and instead breaks into a sprint almost making me fall from his back. I squeal with laughter as I clutch onto him tightly, "merlin woman don't strangle me." He says after a second making me loosen my hold with a laugh. 

I rest my head on his shoulder as he slows into a walk again, "thank you Fred." I whisper feeling him shiver slightly even though it wasn't that cold out. I don't pay much attention to that because my eyelids begin to fall suddenly feeling heavy.


	19. NINETEEN

It's been a week since I had seen anyone, since I had slept even but the last nightmare I had that was too haunting to even think about. I couldn't bare to see the others afraid of what I had witnessed in my dream. They had all taken turns trying to get me out of the room but they left me be now knowing that it was serious and I wasn't going to come out. 

The only times I would leave was when I was sure that no one was downstairs to get myself milk or coffee, I think Mrs Weasley knew because she started leaving a plate of food on the side for me. 

I apparate downstairs thinking it was clear only to see the kitchen full, everyone falls silent as they all turn to stare at me, I'd gotten the days mixed up, it was going to be empty at this time tomorrow not today. I probably looked a sight, my hair a mess, skin pale and eyes worn from little to no sleep. I notice the alarm on their faces from how I looked so different in such a short amount of time, Mrs Weasley looks as though she's about to start crying, Fred's eyes full of concern, everyone's were. But then I see a flash of green eyes, noticing one face that wasn't a regular around here, he smiles at me unsurely sending me an awkward wave. I smile back slightly waving myself before I apparate back to my room, the concern in there was enough to suffocate a person. 

I look at myself in the mirror as a few stray tears run down my pale exhausted face. 

Remembering the boy who I'd just seen seconds ago prompts me to remember another boy, one who had wanted me to be brave. I sigh and wipe my face as I brush my hair and then quickly change out of my sleepwear. "Be brave." I remind myself as I take a deep breath and walk back downstairs. "Yeah she hasn't come out of her room in over a week, we've all tried to-" Ron stops talking once Hermione elbows him as everyone but Ron notices I've entered the room again. 

I sit down in the empty seat between Fred as everyone just sits quietly, I stare down at the table feeling like the awkwardness was going to kill me that or everyone's suffocating stares. "Pass the peas would you trouble?" I look up to see Sirius looking at me expectantly, I pass the peas over which seems to snap everyone out of their daze and resume with whatever they had been talking about, I look up at Sirius gratefully prompting him to shoot me a wink as he drinks from his glass. 

"Did you get changed?" George whispers over making me laugh as I nod, "yes I felt a bit out of place in my night clothes." I say making him nod, "so you got changed just for us?" Fred asks making me grin, "don't flatter yourselves." I tell them, "you know you love us." He winks making me grin. "How did you know? I thought that I had kept my love for George pretty well hidden." Fred face drops as me and George burst out into loud laughter attracting everyone's attention again only this time they smile as they watch us. 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding I love you both equally." I say noticing the look Sirius sends my way making me roll my eyes at him. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Oi Lyra when's the last time you slept?" Ginny slaps Ron at his question, "don't be so rude you brainless git." She huffs slapping him once more making me laugh, "what how was that rude she just looks like she's-" Ginny starts hitting him again, "you look beautiful Lyra." Fred assures me as we watch Ginny beat Ron up. 

"I look ghastly, don't lie to me Fred." I say knowing the truth I had looked in the mirror, "I've not slept properly in over a week." I admit making him look at me in surprise, "over a week?" I bite the inside of me cheek, "I'm too scared." I mumble making him frown. "Want to go on another walk tonight?" He offers making me grin, "only if you give me another piggyback." He holds his hand out, "deal." I smile as I shake it. 

"What are the two of you planning?" George asks making us shake our heads. "Nothing." We say in unison smiling at each other. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So how long have you been here?" I jump as I notice the boy at my door. "Merlin Harry were you trying to give me a heart attack?" I say with a small laugh as he walks in. I sit on my bed and pat the spot beside me, "Ron told me that you're a member of the order." I nod, "Dumbledore came and found me asked me to join." Harry looks confused, "are you alright Harry?" I ask noticing how he looks lost in his thoughts. "I just don't get why he didn't tell me anything? Why no one wrote to me." I frown and place my hand on his arm. "Harry it's nothing to do with you, he just wanted some peace for you after everything... I'm sure he didn't want you having to worry again." He takes in my words and nods. 

"Are you alright?" He asks me after a second as he looks at the state of me again. "I'm fine, it's just nightmares." Harry nods in understanding, "they'll get better." He assures me but I didn't think they would, "have yours?" He looks at me surprised, "I can tell." He shakes his head, "I...I see his death a lot." I know who he's talking about and it makes me frown, Cedric's lifeless corpse haunted my mind at night at times too but Harry actually saw the murder and that must've been traumatic. 

I wrap my arms around him, "I wish there was something I could've done I-" I close my eyes as he struggles with his thoughts, "Harry you did the best you could, you mustn't fixate on what you could've done or what could've been, it won't do any good." I tell him making him nod. "Are you gonna sit with me all night or go and hang out with the people that you actually like?" I ask making him look at me confused, "I do like you Lyra." He tells me seriously, "oh." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Ready?" Fred whispers after knocking on my door, "yeah one second." I say making him shush me, "keep your voice down, we don't want to wake everyone." He says making me giggle, I can't help it. He smiles but covers my mouth with his hand. 

We walk around for hours, I even take him into a muggle supermarket he found it fascinating, but I just wanted some chocolate and muggles had some nice chocolate. "How do you know all this?" He asks as we eat and walk, "when I was living among the muggles I learnt their way of life pretty easily, it's quite simple really." I shrug as he smiles at me before he takes my hand. I smile back and we walk home swinging our hands with each step. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Where have you been! Beds empty! No note! You had me worried had to death, you could've died!" Both Fred and I turn to each other wide eyed as we're caught by Mrs Weasley and Sirius once we walk back into the headquarters. I also notice everyone else peaking their heads from the staircase, "Honestly Fred have you not learnt anything after last time!?" 

"Now calm down Molly I told you they'd be fine." Sirius says smirking as he looks between Fred and I his eyes landing on our still joined hands. 

"We were just going for a walk mum." Fred says making Mrs Weasley glare at him. "It's two o clock in the morning and you think this is an appropriate time for a walk?" She asks, "I'm so sorry Mrs Weasley it's all my fault. Since I've not been able to sleep I've been going on walks to tire myself out and Fred caught me just as I was about to leave and he insisted on coming with me because he wanted to ensure that I was safe." I quickly interject not wanting him to get into trouble because of me. Her face softens once it lands on mine and she nods, "oh that's quite alright dear, but next time leave a note or leave earlier." She says looking between us, I nod, "sorry." She shakes her head, "don't worry about that now up to bed you both go." 

"Yeah up to bed you both go." Sirius echoes shooting me a wink and a smirk making me shake my head at his immaturity. 

"I'm sorry for getting you into trouble." I mumble as Fred walks me to my room, "eh when aren't I in trouble?" He smirks with a shrug making me laugh slightly. I glance around my room still not wanting to sleep, "d-do you want me to stay?" My head turns so fast that it startles him, "just for a while." He adds making me smile, "just for a while." I confirm. 

He sits on my bed rather awkwardly making me roll my eyes with a smile, I move up and then pat the spot beside me, "you gonna lie down or?" He blushes as he smiles and does. We lay there in silence for a few moments before I turn to face him, "thank you." I mumble already beginning to feel the exhaustion catch up to me he shakes his head and smiles, "I'm always gonna be here for you." He whispers softly as he brushes a strand of my hair off of my face.


	20. TWENTY

"Well well well, what do we have here?" I groan as I stir hearing someone being so obnoxiously loud, I rub my tired eyes before trying to sit up only to find that I couldn't I was trapped... in the arms of Fred. It seems he had stayed the whole night and not just for a while. I smile softly as I look at his peacefully sleeping face before realising someone had woken me up. I lock eyes with a very smug Sirius who's stood smirking with his arms crossed. "Stop it Sirius." I say still feeling slightly drowsy, "when I said for the both of you go to bed this isn't what I meant." He says as I continue to fail to get out of Fred's arms. Merlin this boy was strong and a very deep sleeper. 

"Oh merlin, George come and look at this!" Ginny yells hearing Sirius as she's walking past with Hermione both of them entering the room giggling. Harry and Ron also join having heard the whole commotion, I sink back down into Fred's hold and pull the blankets over my face feeling it heat up. 

"What's all the racket about?" George asks entering the room, "well well well." He smirks as I blush furiously under all of their gazes, "oh for gods sake, wake up Fred!" I say shoving him so that he falls from the bed. I guess I hadn't taken into account that his arms were still firmly around my waist. "What's happening?" Fred asks finally having woken up after the two of us landed on the floor. 

I blush seeing the close proximity of our faces and try to get up off of him as everyone else in the room begins making sounds. "All of you out now." I say sternly glaring at them all, as they giggle to each other. "What's happening?" Fred asks his voice still sleepy, "we fell asleep Fred and these peeping Toms all just invaded my room to watch us." His eyes widen as he too now notices that there were others in the room. "What are your intentions with my little Lyra young man?" Sirius asks Fred suddenly making him blush furiously and my eyes widen. "Sirius! Get out!"

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

To say that breakfast was awkward would be an understatement, Fred and I sat as far away from each other as possible yet everyone still managed to make us feel uncomfortable. "Stop it or I will hex you all into next year." I hiss lowly, "you wouldn't-" I narrow my eyes, "I said all." I emphasise catching Fred's smirk as they all look considerably terrified. "Bloody hell." Ron mumbles wide eyed. 

"So Harry you have your hearing today don't you?" I ask my voice changing to light and chirpy making them all glance around at each other in confusion. He nods sharing the others confusion on my mood swing, "good luck." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So Lyra." I roll my eyes with a slight smile as I see Sirius approach me, "leave it alone padfoot." I say in a sing song type of tone. "About this morning." He continues making me sigh, "nothing even happened, he offered to stay for a little while because I was scared and we ended up falling asleep. That's it." He looks at me skeptically, "that's it?" I nod. "No kiss?" I shake my head. "You're boring." He says after a second making me throw my pillow at him, "you're boring." He scoffs, "you know that's not true." I don't know what to say back so I just stick my tongue out at him making him laugh. 

"Did you sleep alright though?" He asks becoming serious after a second, I think back over the night and nod surprised. "Yeah... not a single nightmare." Sirius grins, "good, although this doesn't mean you can sneak boys into your room frequently." He says with a laugh as I throw my other pillow at him.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Luckily Harry had not been expelled from Hogwarts and so we could all go back together. "I can't believe it's our last year." I say turning to the twins, "finally." They grin, "you're not sad?" They shake their heads, "couldn't come at a better time." I shrug guess they weren't the sentimental type, but hogwarts had been put home for the past seven years it was going to be weird never going back. 

"Boys go and get your trunks." Mrs Weasley instructs the twins who grin and use their magic to do so, she jumps as they apparate right behind her, "what have I told you about the magic!" She says slapping them as they laugh and run to hide behind me. "Save us Lyra the woman's gone mad." I can't help but laugh as Mrs Weasley glares at them. "Now you have a good time dear, and do try to keep the twins out of trouble." She says giving me a hug, "you're asking Lyra to keep an eye on the boys?" Sirius asks with a laugh, "if anything she'd be encouraging their mischief." He says laughing as I roll my eyes, "have some fun trouble, but not too much fun." I laugh and shake my head at his ridiculousness, "I'm going to miss our nighttime tea talks." I say making him grin, "as will I, but I might finally be able to get some sleep now." He jokes,

"Um I feel as though I'm supposed to say something along the lines of make good choices, so make good choices." He says awkwardly patting my shoulder making me laugh, he lets out a surprised breath once I hug him. He doesn't react for a second before wrapping his arms around me hesitantly, "thank you." I mumble against his chest, "no thanks necessary." He says patting my back. 

"See you soon." I wave, "don't get into too much trouble," I gasp over dramatically "me? I'd never." He ruffles my hair. "Yeah yeah study hard and whatever." He says laughing as I swat his hands away from my hair, "you got it mum." I say giving him a salute as he shakes his head whilst he laughs. "Get out of here."


	21. TWENTY ONE

"So Malfoy." I shake my head, "I'm not testing out any more of your products, you could always ask for volunteers I'm sure a ton of the younger students would be willing to help you." They smirk, "that's not a bad idea." They say throwing an arm around me each. "Well I am smarter than the two of you." I smirk, "hey!" They say in offence. "She's not wrong." Ginny says as she walks past us. 

Once we get to the platform I spot my family, father was glaring because I still had Fred's arm wrapped around me I glare back at him the two of us in a staring match waiting to see which would look away first. "Lyra." I look to see Fred watching me worried, "yes?" I question as he runs his thumb over my knuckles, "are you alright?" He asks sparing a glance at my father who was still glaring at us. I nod wordlessly noticing my jaw was kind of sore from how hard I'd been clenching it.

"Lyra!" I almost go flying after Daphne flings herself at me I laugh and wrap my arms around her so incredibly glad to see her again, during the holiday we'd kept close contact the two of us growing closer than we'd ever been. She even stayed with me for a week at my apartment. "Daphne!" I squeal back. "I missed you!" She says, "alright calm down, merlin you're going to damage our ears." George says making Daphne turn to him, "who was speaking to you?" Fred and I exchange a glance as George looks at Daphne dumbstruck for a second. 

"Daphne, don't be mean." I say pulling her attention back to me, "I wasn't he's the one who just interrupted our reunion." She says shooting George a look. "Anyways come on we've got to get on the train." She says pulling me away, all I can do is wave to my friends as she drags me away. 

"Ok what were you doing with the Weasleys?" She asks as we find an empty compartment, "you know that we're friends." I shrug, "the twins are cute." She says after a second making my eyebrows furrow, what was she trying to do? 

"Well yeah I guess." She smirks, "you guess? Why were you holding hands with one of them?" I don't know what to say to that, "Fred was just being a good friend, he was just trying to comfort me because we saw my dad." Her face changes at that, "you did? Did he say anything? How are you?" I smile at her concern, "I'm fine, he didn't say anything he just glared at us." I shrug, "ok since you're fine, let's circle back to Fred." I shake my head, "stop Daphne there's nothing, we're just friends." She nods with an unconvinced smile. "Sure." She hums making me roll my eyes. "Go away Daph!" I say pushing her my eyes widening as she lands on the ground with a loud thump. Our wide eyes lock before we both burst out into loud giggles. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"What do you think the DA teacher will be like?" Daphne asks as we walk arms linked into the great hall, "I don't know I just hope they're as good as Professor Lupin was." I shrug, "I hope they're just as hot." She shrugs, "Daphne!" I gasp hardly able to contain my laughter. "What he was!" She defends making me laugh even harder. 

"Girls settle down, this is no way to behave. Are you a pair of animals?" Professor Snape glares as he walk past us. "No sorry sir." We chorus giggling quietly to each other. "Oi Malfoy what's so funny?" Fred asks turning around from the Gryffindor table as we sit at the Slytherin table, "nothing." I say smirking as I catch Daphne's eye, "are you Fred?" She asks making me roll my eyes, "yes." He replies confused, "nice to finally meet you, Lyra here never shuts up about you." I blush red and elbow her, "ow." She hisses rubbing her side, "shut up!" I hiss back as Fred smirks at me. "Oh you've been talking about me have you Malfoy?" 

"As if Weasley." I scoff turning my back from his smug face, "I have to say though, I am a big fan of your work." Daphne adds, "why thank you." George smiles turning to join the conversation, "no one was talking to you." Daphne spits making me elbow her again as George states at her in wonder for a moment. "Gosh do you have a problem with keeping your nose where it belongs?" I sigh, "leave him alone Daphne." I say as Fred laughs at his brother. "I'm just kidding with you." She winks making me smile into my hand as George's ears burn red just like his hair. 

"Good evening, children." Dumbledore gets all of our attention before anyone can say anything. "Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank... who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures... while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck." My eyebrows furrow as I look at the new Professor, she had a toad like face, with pouch eyes, short, curly, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink hat that matched the fluffy pink cardigan which was just as horrible. "Yeah well that's disappointing." Daphne whispers over to me making me giggle. 

"Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you..." My mouth almost drops at how the toad woman clears her throat in the most obnoxious way and joins Dumbledore by his podium. "Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright... happy faces smiling up at me." Daphne and I share a glance of disbelief at the way she had interrupted Dumbledore, nobody did that. 

"I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends." She continues probably ignoring how nobody was really welcoming her to speak. "Fat chance." Daphne murmurs glancing at the new Professor in obvious distaste. 

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered... the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster... has brought something new to this historic school... progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved... perfect what can be perfected... and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." Other than a few scattered claps nobody really acknowledges her boring speech. "Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Dumbledore says making her smile as I grimace. "Illuminating? I don't think she even knew what she was waffling on about."


	22. TWENTY TWO

"Hurry up Daphne or we'll miss breakfast." I urge Daphne who was taking her sweet time in the morning, "alright keep your robes on, I'm coming." She says quickly slinging her bag over her shoulder and pulling me along. "It's been three days how have you made such a mess already?" I ask noticing her side of the room, "I'll clean it later." She shrugs, "you better, I heard the other girls complaining about all the books on the floor." She waves her hand absentmindedly, "let the cows complain, I still remember when I tripped over Morgan's robes and broke my nose, maybe she'll get a taste of her own medicine." I shake my head as I try to hide my amused smile. 

The day went on normally, potions with Snape wasn't that bad, when he just left us alone to get on with it, it could be quite fun, I loved brewing potions especially when the twins weren't blowing them up. Daphne was in a bit of a mood that she had to sit with George but I think she liked it really, I caught her smiling at his jokes. Charms was as it always was, Professor Flitwick was kind and he kept the lessons just interesting enough that you wouldn't stop paying attention. 

"Ugh we have the toad." I complain not looking forward to the next lesson, "I'm sure it'll be alright." Daphne says in a forced tone, "probably not." I mutter as we near the classroom, "let's just hope no one argues with her the way Harry did." Daphne murmurs lowly, the whole school had heard of Harry's outburst towards the new Professor and it just made more people brand him as mad which must've been extremely frustrating. "I don't know I think it'd be pretty entertaining." I shrug just before the bell goes. 

Luckily we make it just in time, "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe. Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know, from now on... you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved... course of defensive magic." I feel like banging my head on the desk at her forced schoolgirl tone of voice, "Yes?" I look up to see it had been Daphne who had raised her hand, "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" She asks making my eyebrows furrow, "Using spells?" Umbridge asks in utter confusion as though the idea was completely insane. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom." 

"So we're not gonna use magic?" Someone else asks, "You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way." I scoff, "how is that useful? If we're attacked, it won't be risk-free." I find myself speaking before I can stop myself, "Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." She says glaring at me. 

"It is the view of the Ministry... that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient... to get you through your examinations... which, after all, is what school is all about." She continues, "And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" I speak again making her glare deepen. "Hand!" She says before calming her face. "There is nothing out there, dear." She says in a forced kind tone. 

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourself?" I look at her in disbelief, "I don't know literally anyone? We're not really children anymore and Not all wizards are as delightful as you are Professor, what if I want to become an auror, I need to know how to cast defensive spells don't I?" I ask, "As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under care- fully controlled examination conditions," said Professor Umbridge dismissively making my mother drop. 

"Without ever practicing them before?" I ask incredulously. "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?"  
"Your hand Miss Malfoy, and I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough —" I scoff   
"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?" I ask again not even bothering to raise my hand.   
"This is school, Mr. Malfoy, not the real world," she said softly. "School is supposed to prepare us for the real world though is it not? We are not going to remain children forever we need to be ready for what's waiting out there." I say making her little toad face turn red.   
"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr. Malfoy." She shrieks as the whole class watches the two of us go back and fourth a mixture of entertained and afraid. 

"If you are referring to what happened to Mr Diggory-" I glare at her as the whole class takes in a breath, "I wasn't speaking about that! Don't you mention him!" I practically yell at her making her smirk knowing she had touched an nerve, "I know that you were emotionally attached but what happened to your boyfriend was an accident, a terrible accident." I glare so hard that I wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly dropped dead, "you don't know anything." I say slapping Fred's hand away as he tries to get me to sit back down, "Miss Malfoy if you want to speak in my class you have to raise your-" 

"You can raise your stupid hand and shove it right up your-" Daphne grabs my arm to cut off my sentence as Professor Umbridge shakes with rage her whole face turning an undesirable shade of scarlet, "get out of my classroom and don't return until you have learned some respect!" I smirk seeing her unable to contain herself, "gladly." I say smiling as I walk up to the door, "you have detention every night this week." She tells me as she struggles to compose herself, "wonderful I can't wait." I drawl sarcasm practically drowning my words.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You're mental Malfoy." Fred says as he joins me in the astronomy tower after class, "you love it Weasley." I hum as he sits beside me, "are you alright." He asks seriously making me look at him my smile slipping off of my face. "No." I admit in a small tone, "I don't know why I lost my temper like that I-" his earn hand encasing mine makes me forget what I was about to say, "it's alright she deserved it." I smile and look back out to the view that the astronomy tower provided. 

"This is where I first spoke to Ced properly." I say after a moment my voice so quiet that I'm sure that he hadn't heard me, he doesn't say anything instead he interlocks our fingers letting me know that he had. "He asked me out, here." I say my voice cracking as I remember that day. Fred moves closer and wraps his arm around me as I lean into his shoulder, I close my eyes and relax as I smell candy and gunpowder on him, it made me feel warm and safe. He made me feel warm and safe.


	23. TWENTY THREE

"Come in." I hold in my groan as I knock on Umbridge's office, "Good evening, Miss Malfoy." My mouth almost drops at the way she had decorated her office, it was covered in plates with cats, I mean I too liked cats but this was a bit extreme. "Sit." I sit at the desk seeing Harry was sat in the one beside me, he looks at me wide eyed questioning what I was doing here. 

"You're going to be doing some lines for me today, along with Mr. Potter." I nod and reach down in my bag for my quill. "No, not with your quill." My eyebrows furrow as I see the look on Harry's face. "Going to be using a rather special one of mine." She says handing me a dark red quill. "Now... I want you to write, I must respect my superiors." I bite down to keep me from lashing out at her again, "How many times?" She does her annoyingly fake and forced giggle, "Well, let's say for as long as it takes for the message to sink in." She sits down at her desk as I stare at her expectantly, "You haven't given me any ink." I say as she stares back. "Oh, you won't need any ink." She smiles maliciously. 

I begin writing with her quill finding it odd how the ink was a blood red colour, until suddenly I couldn't help but gasp in pain, on my free hand as though it had been carved with a scalpel were the words she had forced me to write upon the parchment. The cuts healed over leaving my skin smooth but still red and painful, "Oh it seems it hasn't sunk in yet." I bite down hard as I glare at the insufferable toad across from me, "yes?" She asks smirking at my deadly gaze. "Nothing." I say through my clenched teeth. "That's right. Because you know, deep down... you deserve to be punished. Don't you?" I don't say anything until I remember Harry was sat beside me with the same punishment. 

I glance over at him to see his sympathetic gaze but I don't focus on that my eyes land on his hand, to see his words had already began scaring his skin feel my blood boil as I look at the wound. "Are you mad?" I ask her making her eyes bulge at me, "are you talking to me?" She asks making me take a breath to calm down, "how can you give this as a punishment to children?" She smirks. "Are you unpleased with Mr Potters punishment." I nod, "very, let him go." I say to her this was unfair he was a child what had he really done that was so wrong for this kind of torture? He'd already suffered so much. 

"I'm afraid that he needs to be punished, unless..." Both Harry and I look up at her, "unless what?" She smiles at me as she looks me in the eye, "unless you'd be willing to take his detentions for him." She says looking very smug, "absolutely not." Harry says at the same time that I agree. "What Lyra no!" He protests, "it's ok Harry." I assure him as he looks at me in disbelief. "Lyra I can't let you do this." I shake my head I wouldn't want any child to have to suffer through this, I'd take it for anyone. "Leave Harry, I've made my choice." He looks between Umbridge and I. "You heard her Mr Porter off you go." I send him a reassuring smile as he looks back from the door. 

"Two weeks worth of detention? How exciting." The toad grins making me smile sarcastically at her as I start writing with the torture quill, not even making the slightest facial expressions, I didn't want to give her that satisfaction. I pushed myself to write more than I could handle because I didn't want her to think that she was winning and I only allowed myself to cry once I left her hideous office.

"Lyra! Why did you do that?" Harry asks me making me jump as I begin walking down the corridor, "because you did not deserve that." I shrug as he glances down at my hand which was hurting more than I thought it could. "Neither did you." He says sadly, "well I'd rather it was me, so you don't go landing yourself anymore detentions okay?" He nods, "thank you." He says wrapping his arms around me making me laugh, "it's alright but if I find out that have anymore detentions you'll wish the most painful thing you've ever encountered is that godforsaken quill." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

On day three my hand bled so much I feared that I may bleed to death, the toad didn't care though I'm fact she seemed to enjoy it, but I still refused to show her that it pained me, I couldn't let her have the satisfaction. "What's that?" Daphne asks catching sight of my scarred hand, "huh? A cut." I shrug placing my hand back down rather quickly. "What in the world is this?" She asks horrified as she grabs a hold of my hand seeing the blistering scar. "This is what's been happening in detentions?" I nods as her face scrunches up in a rage, "she can't do that! You have to report this!" I shake my head, "it wouldn't do any good, you know that the power is going to her head." She gets even angrier if possible "you have to tell Snape or something." I hold in a laugh, "he'd probably just take notes for his detentions." I shrug. "That awful toad! Just wait until-" 

"No Daphne don't provoke her, it's not worth it." I say making her deflate, "you can't go back to detention though." She says making me shrug, "I can handle it it's just four more days." I say trying to sound optimistic but I wished that my detentions would be miraculously cancelled those four days sounded worse than anything. 

"What are the two of you whispering about?" The twins ask making Daphne shoot them an annoyed look before she storms off, "what's wrong with her?" George asks watching her leave the hall, "nothing, dong worry about it." I shrug as Fred watches me in concern, "have you been sleeping ok?" He asks, "why do I look awful?" He shakes his head, "no you look as beautiful as ever." I try to not blush. 

"I've slept fine, I guess a few nightmares occasionally but nothing awful." I shrug making him smile, "so what's wrong with you then?" My eyebrows furrow, "why were the two of you arguing?" I shake my head, "we weren't." He nods but seems unconvinced as he looks me over for any sign that things weren't ok. I made sure to tuck my hand under my robes.


	24. TWENTY FOUR

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students... you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." A group of us form as we leave the hall to see McGonagall arguing with Umbridge. "So silly of me, but it sounds... as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom... Minerva." Umbridge's voice actually invoked a rage I didn't even know that I had in me. "Not at all, Dolores, merely your medieval methods."

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry... and by extension, the minister himself." I roll my eyes at her words, "I am a tolerant woman... but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty." McGonagall steps down a step in shock as she registers what Umbridge was truly trying to say to her, "Disloyalty." She repeats in disbelief. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action." I don't even realise that I almost take a step forward until Fred grabs my hand to stop me. I hiss in pain making him drop my hand quickly and turn to me in confusion but my eyes are locked with Umbridge's, she's glaring at me hard as though this were all my fault.

Once she retreats to her office Fred grabs my arm and lifts my hand up, "what-" I quickly pull my hand away and put it behind my back but it's too late he's already seen the scars. "Lyra? You said she just gave you lines." He says in disbelief taking my hand again, "she did give me lines." I shrug not wanting him to worry, "she's having them carved into your skin!" He says incredulously looking down at where I must respect my superiors had been imprinted on the back of my hand. I wince as he runs a finger over it making him scowl, "I won't let her get away with it." He huffs making me smile as I take his hand in my uninjured one. "And what are you going to do? You heard of how she hates disloyalty." I say mocking the toad and making him smile, "besides it's my last detention today I'll be fine." He looks conflicted like there's so much he wants to say but is unable to, so instead he lifts my hand up to his lips making my cheeks heat up as I felt butterflies swarm my stomach.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

So Umbridge had been given some totally made up position that gave her a ridiculous amount of power, she had begun inspecting the other teachers and was currently trying to throw poor Professor Trelwaney out. Sure she wasn't the best teacher but I did feel bad as we watched her cry amongst her belongings talking about how hogwarts was her home. Thankfully Dumbledore came just in time telling McGonagall to escort Trelawney back upstairs to her room putting umbridge in a fit but there was nothing she could do about it, for now. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Hermione had approached me about an idea her and Ron had both had for Harry to teach us defence against the dark arts because the toad wouldn't. It seemed like a pretty good idea to me Harry was skilled and had a ton of experience, Hermione asked me to invite people I could trust and that really only meant one person to me, I'm sure that there were plenty of other trustworthy Slytherins I'd just never really spoken to many to establish such a sense of trust. 

"Hi. So you all know why we're here.We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts." The atmosphere in the hogshead pub was a bit awkward to say the least. "Why?" A Hufflepuff boy asks making me roll my eyes, "Why? Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot." Ron replies making the boy shrug. "So he says." Why was he even here? "So Dumbledore says." 

"So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof?" He was starting to get on my nerves, "If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." I can't help the glare that I send his way, before I can say anything though Daphne has already taken her shoe off and chucked it at the boy. "Mind your own business." She hisses before sparing me a glance as I try to not laugh, "well I mean it seems like she's moved on pretty quickly anyways." The boy murmurs although everyone hears him as he glances at mine and Fred's joined hands, suddenly I feel very uncomfortable in the room as everyone is staring at me wondering what I'll do next. "Didn't I just tell you to mind your business?" Daphne scowls venomously at the Hufflepuff boy throwing another shoe at him. "And we're not in a zoo everyone can you please stop with the staring." She adds as I stare at the ground very aware of the tears burning my eyes. 

"I'm not gonna talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, clear out now." Harry says sending me a hesitant look before pulling at Hermione's arm, "Come on, Hermione. They're here because they think I'm some sort of freak." 

Thankfully Luna jumps in asking Harry if he can produce a patronus which then leads to a bunch of people shouting Harry's greatest defensive moments. "Wait. Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that... but the truth is, most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help." 

"He's just being modest." Hermione tries, "No, Hermione, I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow. But out there... when you're a second away from being murdered... or watching a friend die right before your eyes... You don't know what that's like." I felt so bad for Harry he was so young and he'd already suffered enough to last a lifetime I just hoped things would get easier. 

"You're right, Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance at beating... Voldemort..." Everyone takes in surprised gasps at his name. "He's really back." 

Everyone had been convinced to join even that annoying Hufflepuff who went by the name of Zacariahs smith although he'd been very hesitant about signing the parchment that all members were required to sign, Daphne'd had enough of him muttering feeble excuses and pushed him aside so that she could go and sign her name, "honestly if you're not brave enough then just leave." She huffed at him making his face burn red. 

The only problem we had now was finding somewhere to practice.


	25. TWENTY FIVE

After the meeting I basically sprint back to the castle wanting to be alone, yes I had feelings for Fred but was that Hufflepuff right? Was I moving on too quickly? I just wanted to forget everything to not feel anything, everything just hurt so bad and I even found myself wishing that things were how they'd been before I'd gone out with Cedric. 

"Lyra? Are you ok?" I hadn't realised that I'd run straight into Adrian's arms whilst not paying attention. "I- I'm fine." I tell him so unconvincingly that I don't even believe myself. He's still got his hands on me but I don't find myself hating it instead my mind goes to what I had just been thinking. "Lyra?" He questions again his face covered in concern. His concern seems so genuine, I mean Adrian was a nice boy the only thing he'd ever really done wrong was cheat on me. Then I remember why I didn't like him, why I assured Cedric that I'd never get back with him, but Cedric wasn't here anymore and all I wanted now was to get him off my mind. 

"Lyra?" Adrian asks once more, his hand now on my cheek as he tried to get me to respond to him, "I'm fine." I reply sounding better like I was actually there. "Do you want to go back to the common room? You don't look so good maybe you should take a nap or something." He suggests. "I'm fine." I repeat making him nod a bit unsurely. "Get off me." I say pushing his hands away making him smile, "alright you're good now." He nods seeming relived and then before I can even comprehend why I'm doing what I'm doing, I find myself wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him down to my height and connect our lips. 

"Wait- wait are you sure?" He asks pulling away breathlessly I nod, kissing Adrian was nice, I didn't feel anything and that was amazing. "This doesn't mean that you're forgiven though." I tell him between kisses as we stumble into a small broom cupboard that seems to just appear out of nowhere. "Ok." He pants as my hands go to run through his hair, "and this doesn't mean we're back together." He nods once again before pushing me against the wall and connecting our lips again. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

After we stop making out I begin to feel so guilty, and so I cry to myself for a while, hating myself, I shouldn't be crying it was all my fault, I had done this. But I just feel so incredibly guilty it makes me feel sick, what would Cedric say? What would he think? What would Fred say? I bury my face in my arms as I cry, I was so stupid but the numbness that Adrian had brought me was addictive, it was so nice to not feel for a short while for my mind to be free and maybe that's why I couldn't stop myself from continuing whatever was happening between us. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You've done it, Neville. You found the Room of Requirement." Turns out the cupboard that kept appearing for Adrian and into make out in was actually the room of requirement, "The what?" Neville asks the few of us confused, "It's also known as the Come and Go Room." 

"The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it. And it's always equipped for the seeker's needs." I mean it had never been equipped with anything of use for us, "last time we were in here it was a broom cupboard." The twins say, "same it was actually just the other day." I say before stopping myself, everyone turns to me inquisitively, "why were you here?" I can't exactly tell them that I'd been using it as a hookup spot. "Oh um I just wanted to hide from Umbridge and it just appeared." I shrug casually everyone nods now disinterested as they believe me well everyone except Fred he's staring at me as though the answer will just pop out at him. 

"So say you really needed the toilet..." I'm so thankful when Ron changes the subject, "Charming, Ronald. But, yes, that is the general idea." Hermione tells him as I shift under Fred's still persisting gaze. "It's brilliant. It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back." Harry says making me nod in encouragement. "What are you hiding?" He whispers in my ear as he grabs my arm to stop him from walking away, "nothing." I say nervously trying to ignore how I had shuddered as she whispered against my skin. "I don't believe you." He says letting my arm go as he crosses his arms and stares at me. "Don't then." I shrug leaving hurriedly. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You're so stupid!" Daphne exclaims after I explain everything that had happened to her. "I know." I groan catching my head in my hands as I pace. "Why?" I shrug, "I can't help it, when he's around I just- I finally feel at peace but then when we part I realise how stupid it is but I can't stop Daphne." I say as she just stares at me in disbelief, "why Adrian?" She asks spitting his name out as though it were poison, "I don't know it just happened." Her eyes narrow, "well it needs to stop happening, you need to stop." I nod, "I know I say that every time is the last but-" she shakes her head. "You're so stupid." She repeats, "what about Fred?" I groan as I sink down beside her on her bed. "I don't know." She starts to hit me with her pillow. "What are you doing?" I shriek trying to get her to stop, "trying to hit some sense into you, you've gone mad woman, stop these hookups with Adrian, Fred's perfect for you." She says sternly, "stop seeing him." She repeats making me nod, "I will." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Wait I was only coming to tell you that we need to stop." I say pulling away from Adrian who smirks at me, "are you sure that you want that?" He asks making me falter, "no." I say kissing him once more, "no yes! Yes I'm sure." I say forcing myself to separate from him, "ok if that's what you want but one last time?" He shrugs smiling at me, "yeah ok one last time." I smile back as he leans down to reconnect our lips. "But I mean it one last time." I say between breaths making him laugh slightly against my lips, "you got it love." He murmurs before I reach for his jumper.


	26. TWENTY SIX

We were at our first ever Dumbledore's army meeting, Ginny had suggested the name thinking it was funny since it was at the ministry was afraid was happening. 

"Lyra." Hermione scolds as I rush in, "sorry sorry I know." I pant out of breath noticing how I was slightly late, "where have you been?" The twins ask making me shake my head, "I was just in the common room lost track of time." I shrug as I catch Daphne's eye, she glares at me and my messy state. I quickly try and fix my uniform and hair. "Why're you such a mess?" Fred asks, "I took a nap." I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly. "Well sleepyhead pay attention we're doing expelliarmus today." He whispers making me flush slightly as I send him an understanding nod. 

"Expelliarmus? What good is that going to do?" I can't help but roll my eyes at smith who was unfortunately here even though I had really hoped that he wouldn't come, all he actually ever seemed to do was complain. "Expelliarmus." I mutter smirking once his wand comes flying to my hand, his face burns red as he scowls at me, "what good are you without your wand?" I question twirling it about as the twins and a few other laugh. "Give it back." He huffs storming over to me, "well don't get your knickers in a twist, maybe try shutting your mouth and listening to what Harry says, you might actually learn something." I tell him as I hand him his wand.

"Thank you for that Lyra, that was very good, and as I was saying it may not be the biggest spell but it works. I used it against him last June and it saved my life." Everyone watches Harry in a sort of silent amazement. "Alright everybody pair up and get to practicing." Fred turns to me but before he can say anything Daphne's already dragged me away. 

"Where were you?" She asks with a stern look, "I was breaking it off with Adrian." I murmur making sure no one around would hear, "were you?" I nod as her eyes narrow. "Expelliarmus." My wand flies into her hand as she walks towards me to hand it back she nods, "yeah because you arriving with your shirt half unbuttoned sure looks like you were breaking things off." She whispers before finding another partner. 

"You ok?" Fred asks making me nod, "fine." I smile, "what was all that about?" I didn't want to lie to him but I didn't want to tell him the truth, "nothing, don't worry about it." I tell him shaking my head, he opens and then closes his mouth as he frowns at me, "want to practice?" 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

There was a big quidditch match Slytherin against Gryffindor today, "wish me luck?" I look to see Adrian amidst the empty common room, "good luck." I say not very enthusiastically, "come on Lyra." He says taking a step closer. "I told you it was the last time." I say making him smile, "we can still be friends can't we?" I shrug, "sure." He beams and kisses my cheek, "great." I roll my eyes with a small smile, "shouldn't you be eating breakfast or something, you need energy for the match don't you?" He nods, "yeah let's go." He says after grabbing my hand and dragging me along. 

"Friends hold hands." He says after I drop his, "maybe some do but not us." I say he shrugs and nods as we walk, "whatever you want." Once we get to the hall I begin to make my way to the Gryffindor table when Adrian pulls me back, "yes?" I question expectantly, "no kiss for luck?" We both laugh as I push him away slightly, "you wish." I say making him nod and wink, "you know it." I shake my head, "good luck." I say a bit more seriously making him smile but all that was on my mind was my boyfriend and how he'd insist my kisses were lucky, and how he'd want one before anything significant. How I could no longer give them to him, because he was never going to have a significant event again. 

"What was all that about?" Fred asks as I sit at the Gryffindor table, "we're friends again I guess." I shrug looking away as he makes a face. With my head turned I notice the state of Ron. "Ron are you not going to eat?" I ask confused every time I'd seen this boy around food he could never hold himself back. "He's nervous." I frown knowing Draco had come up with some awful song and badges to mock the poor boy. 

I take his cold shaking hands in mine to get his attention, "hey, you wouldn't have made the team if you weren't good enough, don't worry you're going to do brilliantly. I know you are." I assure him as he looks at me his face burning to match his hair, "t-thank you." I smile as I stand, "no problem and eat something you'll need the energy, good luck." I say to them all before returning to my table. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

The match was going awfully, Draco's nasty song was really putting Ron off he was making so many mistakes that I felt bad for him. Speaking of Draco I'd barely spoken to him again this year although it seems as though it were him avoiding me, I don't know what I'd done I hadn't even said anything to annoy him this time. 

The only thing entertaining about the match would be the commentary provided by the twins friend lee, I'd never really spoken to him but he was pretty nice and really funny. The match can't end fast enough Harry got the snitch ensuring the Gryffindors victory even after some horrendous cheating from the Slytherin team. 

"I wanted to write more verses but I couldn't think of anything to rhyme fat and ugly, I'm talking about his filthy mother of course." My mouth drops in disbelief at the words I hear leave Draco's mouth as he insults mrs Weasley. "And his pathetic loser of a father too." Fred and George go mad realising that he was speaking of their parents, Harry holds George back whilst three of the Gryffindor girls restrain Fred. 

"Draco!" I yell at him as he smirks smugly, he ignores me and focuses on Harry, "but then you like the Weasleys don't you? How can you stand the stink? I guess it reminds you of your own dear mother!" Harry suddenly charges at Draco and punches him across the jaw, knocking him down. "Harry no! You're going to get into trouble." I say trying to pull the boy off of my brother. But when George breaks free and joins in with the attack there's nothing I can do. 

Madam hooch blasts the two boys away and McGonagall takes them to her office as the members of the Gryffindor team let Fred go, "Lyra." Draco says reaching for me. I pull my arm from him, "don't Lyra me, how could you say such horrible and disgusting things? You crossed a line Draco and I don't blame those boys for attacking you. I'm so disappointed in you." I say making his face fall but I wasn't going to show him pity not when all that had done was make him think it was ok to behave the way he did.


	27. TWENTY SEVEN

"I'm so sorry Fred." I tell the boy who was now in a sour mood not that I could blame him, "it's not your fault." He grumbles shooting my brother a dark look before leaving the field, "unless you agree with him?" My eyes widen. "What no! I'd never, I'd never think that about anyone! I love your parents, I love your family." I say making him smile slightly, "are you going to follow me all the way into the showers?" He asks making me blush hard and shake my head, "it's ok if you want to, if I saw someone as dashingly handsome as myself I'd do the same." He winks and I turn and leave as fast as possible without running hearing him laugh as he watches me. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Are you still mad at me?" I ask Daphne, she looks up from her book, "no." I sigh, "see you say no but then you look at me like that and your tone makes me feel like you are?" She looks up once more closing her book this time, "what would give you that idea?" I chew on my lip as I stare at her. "Daphne." I don't know what to say, "look Lyra I'm not judging you or trying to force you into anything but I'm just looking out for you because I care about you and I just know that this isn't going to end well." I nod, "I know." I moan, "but I haven't seen him since I promise." She nods, "well I mean do what you want I guess, but what happened to all the times you said Adrian was a rat?" She asks, "it's just when I'm around him my brain stops, the pain stops it's fleeting but it's such a relief," she looks confused. 

"So you become numb?" I nod, "that's not a good thing Lyra. You need your feelings, they make you who you are, they help you grow and mature. No matter how good it feels without them, your feelings will always catch up to you, so it's better to just face them now rather than later altogether it can be...dastardly." She explains looking so worried that I begin to feel suffocated under her gaze. "Just please I don't care if you cry for hours, just come to me, I- please Lyra." I look at her pleading face and nod. "Of course." I say noticing the haunted look on her face. 

"Oh my we're going to be late." She says shaking herself from whatever had been on her mind and pulling me along. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We'd had plenty of Dumbledore's army meetings Harry being a spectacular teacher Zacharias had become slightly less annoying aside from the argument he had started with Daphne last week, about us being untrustworthy Slytherins. It was due to the stupid inquisitorial squad that Umbridge had formed, he accused of us being spies, something Daphne didn't take lightly. 

She went mental at him as she should, there was nothing wrong with Slytherins we could be just as brave as the Gryffindors only most of us valued ambition over bravery, it was no different than the Gryffindors valuing bravery over loyalty from the Hufflepuffs and if that didn't make them awful why were we? I admit I'd only wanted Slytherin to please my father but it was my house. I spent seven years in this house and even if I hadn't spoken to many Slytherins we were a family, who for some reason got lumped as the dark house, which was totally inaccurate I swear more of the Hufflepuffs were meaner than us. 

Today we were taking turns at trying to stupefy each other, and I smirk as I watch Fred and George bet on Hermione and Ron, "Hermione's going to win for sure." I whisper over making Fred smirk confidently. I was right of course Hermione sends Ron flying before he can even lift his wand. He claims he let her do that but we all knew the truth. 

"Ready Malfoy?" I match Fred's smirk and nod, "don't hold this against me." I say making him scoff, "as if you're gonna-" I swiftly cut him off lifting my wand as he was mid sentence, "stupefy." My eyes widen as he goes flying across the room and my excited laughter ceases after he doesn't get up. Oh merlin I hadn't killed him had I? "Blimey Malfoy that was wicked." He beams jumping up making me sigh out in relief. 

"Remind me to never get on your bad side." He says as he makes his way over to me, "shut up." I laugh as he wraps an arm around me, I smile up at him as he makes faces at me. "Merlin can the two of you just get together already." Ginny grumbles walking past the two of us.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

After our session I went to sit in the courtyard just for some fresh air. "What are you doing?" I smile as Fred sits beside me, "thinking." He looks confused, "I know that it may be confusing for you since you never think but it can be nice sometimes." He rolls his eyes a fond smile making its way to his face as he nudges me, "what're you thinking about?" I shrug before resting my head against his shoulder, "does it matter?" I murmur closing my eyes as I feel the soft breeze on my face. "Have you been ok recently?" Fred asks after a second, "not really no but I'll be fine." I shrug hoping it was true. 

We sit in silence for a moment until it suddenly begins to rain madly, I giggle as Fred runs for shelter. "Lyra?" He calls out confused to see that I was now laying on the ground my eyes closed as I just let the rain pour down on me. "Lyra?" His voice is closer now, I open an eye to see him stood over me worry consuming him. "Are you alright?" I nod a bright smile emerging on my face, "perfectly." He shakes his head with a small smile, "you're mental." I laugh, "maybe, but you love it." He grins and holds a hand out to me, "dance with me?" My grin grows as I place my hand in his. 

"Why of course." The two of us can't stop our wild laughter as he spins me in the rain, then he pulls me into him,. We both sway gently smiling at each other as we get soaked. As I look into his warm eyes I feel myself gravitate closer towards him, Fred mirroring my actions the two of us lean in as though we're about to kiss. Our lips are so close I can practically feel his on mine already, my heart was beating so wildly I was sure it was about to beat right out of my chest. Then at the last second just when I can feel a ghost of the kiss I pull my head back, his face falls looking just as disappointed as I felt. 

I don't know why I had done that, but the moment was lost now. "I..." I don't know what to say, my words trail off as I look at him regretfully wishing I hadn't chickened out. "I uh have to go, got to do some business with George." He says dropping my hand, I nod and force a smile as I miss the warmth immediately. "Have fun." I saw weakly as we both smile awkwardly at each other. 

I watch his retreating figure my heart sinking with each step he takes away from me. I lay back on the ground in the pouring rain my good mood now gone, I may have even cried a bit out of frustration but it's not like anyone would know, the rain would wash the tears away. I just wished it would wash the stupid away too because Daphne was right. I was so stupid.


	28. TWENTY EIGHT

"So you didn't kiss him?" I groan, "well obviously not if I pulled my head back." I say to Daphne who raises her hands, "alright don't bite my head off you're the one who didn't kiss him." Her eyebrows furrow, "why didn't you kiss him?" I shrug as she looks at me expectantly, "I was scared." I say, "you were scared?" She asks in disbelief making me nod, "but you weren't scared to kiss Adrian." I push her, "that's different I don't care about Adrian." She smirks. 

"So you care about Fred?" I roll my eyes, "obviously, but I'm scared to love him." She leans closer, "why?" I sigh, "I don't want him to leave me." She shakes her head, "he wouldn't." I don't say anything. "Lyra." I meet her gaze, "people leave Daphne even if they don't want to, you can't be certain of anything." She nods, "true but you can't live your life in fear you'll never truly live that way." I shrug, "it's just there's less risk for heartbreak if we stay friends." She frowns, "but you don't want that." I didn't know what I wanted I was so confused. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I had a habit of standing at the mirror in the DA room and staring at the moving picture of Cedric, I'd usually do it before the session or if I wasn't the first one there I'd wait for everyone to leave. Today was one of the days where I had to wait for everyone to leave, Harry sends me a hesitant look as he leaves the room along with everyone else. "What do I do Ced?" I ask feebly to the picture that just shows me his nervous smiling face, I wipe my eyes as I look at the picture, he lets out a laugh and I smile remembering when this picture was taken. It was for the tournament I was stood behind the photographer waiting for him, but I tripped making everyone in the room turn to me, Cedric's nervous smile had been replaced with a laugh as he caught sight of my red face and the way I spilled my drink all over Rita skeeter who was glaring at me lividly as I too tried not to laugh. 

"I miss you everyday, I wish you hadn't entered the tournament I wish I had told you that you didn't need the eternal glory. I wish you weren't such a good person," I say the tears returning as I shake my head. "No I don't, I loved how good of a person you were, I wish I'd given you that last kiss you'd asked for though." I say before sighing, "what am I even doing Ced? I just feel so lost without you but Fred he makes me feel found, and I feel guilty to you which I know I shouldn't because you- you're dead, you're dead and you're never coming back." I swallow thickly, "you're gone but that doesn't mean I'd ever forget about you, I'll love you forever Ced but it's time I move on isn't it?" I question as his picture smiles. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

As I leave the room I see Fred stood outside waiting for me, "what are you doing?" I ask as he pushes himself off the wall. "Waiting for you?" He asks as though it were obvious which I suppose it was. "Right." I nod cursing myself in my mind as I was making everything awkward. "How are things going with the products?" I ask smiling as I watch him animatedly tell me all about the things George and he had created, "and the skiving snack boxes are almost perfect." I grin, "that's great." 

"I mean it's a shame that we can't play quidditch anymore but I guess it gives us more time to focus on the business." I laughed as he explained how mr Flich's face covered with boils upon eating some of the fever fudge. "Serves him right." He laughs. 

Things went back to normal for us neither of us mentioning the almost kiss, I was going to but then I just decided that it was better to not. I mean it just would made things awkward again right? 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Alright everyone great work today remember there's only two more meetings until we break up for Christmas so everyone keep up with the practicing." Harry says to the group at the end of another session, everyone nods and heads out, I go to grab my bag from by the mirror and smile at the picture of Ced, "bye." I murmur like I always did, it was a stupid habit because it's not like it was actually him or that he could hear but I was just used to it now.

"Oh!" I jump as I notice Fred behind me, before I can say anything I notice that there's somehow mistletoe above us, he follows my gaze both of us blushing as we look back at each other. "You don't-" both of our words jumble into a incoherent mess as we talk over each other making us blush harder. I lean up on my tiptoes and press a soft kiss to his cheek, smiling bashfully as I pull away we stare into each other's eyes quiet intently. Our faces were mere inches apart that I could feel his soft breaths mixing with mine. We don't say anything for a moment we just get lost in the others gaze before I can help it I lean forwards and close the gap. 

Kissing Fred was like receiving a breath of fresh air that I didn't even know that I needed but couldn't imagine living without again. It was as though a fire had been lit inside of me and it was burning me into someone new, his hands gripped my waist as he pulled me closer, my hands finding the hair at the nape of his neck as we refused to let each other go. 

Once we do eventually separate I smile up at him sheepishly as he brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear, "that was..." I blush as he laughs. And then as though I'd been doused with freezing cold water I catch sight of Cedric's photograph, and all the fears that I thought had burned away creeped back up on me. If I loved Fred now it would only lead to a bigger heartache for when he left me, because in the end he would leave me. Everyone left eventually.


	29. TWENTY NINE

I practically ran from Fred probably leaving him so confused which was awful of me but my mind felt like it was about to burst I just I needed to forget all about this. "Miss Malfoy, please refrain from running in the corridors this is a school not a playground." Professor McGonagall stops my fast pace, "right sorry miss." She shakes her head and sends me a concerned look, "is everything alright Miss Malfoy." I nod she doesn't look convinced but she lets me go after asking me not to run and reminding me that her office was always open. 

I actually had no clue what to do now my mind was racing faster than I could comprehend a single thought but it was just a kiss it shouldn't be such a big deal, I was totally over reacting right? But that kiss it wasn't like any kiss I'd ever had before and I craved more I just wanted to be around him but I couldn't do that. There was a reason I had been fighting my feelings I couldn't just give in now, it would be better, it would be safer for everyone especially Fred if I didn't. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"What's wrong with you?" I'd been pacing around the common room waiting for Daphne because I seriously needed to get some stuff of my mind, "nothing Morgan, do you know where Daphne is?" I ask making her nod. "She was by the library last I saw her." I nod and make my way to the door, "thanks." 

I make my way to the library although Daphne's not there, when I get out I sigh before someone bumps into me, "sorry." It was Adrian he had grabbed onto me to steady himself, "no problem." I say not really focusing on him. "Are you ok?" He asks. I look up at him and smile slightly as I nod, "yeah I'm fine, I was just looking for Daphne." He nods, "what me to help you look?" I shrug, "sure." Neither of us make a move and I suddenly become aware of his hands which were still on me. "You're gonna have to let go of me." He looks down and notices shaking his head with a small laugh, "oh sorry, I didn't even realise." 

• • • ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"What happened to we can't do this anymore?" Adrian asks me as we're pushed up together in the nearest broom closet that we could find. "Shut up." I say pulling him closer to me by his tie and connecting our lips. I needed to forget about that kiss with Fred. It had to be gone from my system. Kissing Adrian didn't help me the way that I thought it would instead it made me feel worse. It felt wrong, it just made me all the more aware of the effect Fred had on me and how he was the only person I wanted to be kissing. He was the only person I should be kissing. 

"Wait stop." I say pulling away, "what's wrong?" I shake my head, "I can't- this isn't right, it was a mistake." I breath out regretting this decision terribly. I felt sick to my stomach oh merlin what had I been thinking. "It's ok Lyra, calm down, it's not a big deal we can stop." He tries to assure me looking worried. "I'm sorry." I say feeling my eyes sting as I realise how stupid I had been. "It's ok, no harm done, are you ok?" He asks wiping my eyes as I nod. "Let's get you back to the common room, you can go and take a nap or something." He suggests handing me my jumper. 

"I'm sorry." I repeat, "shh it's ok, let's get you to Daphne." I shake my head realising how disappointed she was going to be in me. "No!" He looks startled, "no Adrian I can't go to Daphne, not right now." He nods, "ok what do you want me to do?" I take a breath to rationalise, "nothing, I'm fine I just need to be left alone." He looks unsure, "please?" He sighs and nods reaching for the handle, "wait! Adrian, don't tell anyone about this...please?" He nods, "I swear, just feel better." He says kissing my forehead before leaving me in the broom closet alone so that I could collect my thoughts. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

It'd been just under a week and this was our second to last DA meeting before Christmas break. I hadn't told Daphne about what had happened with Adrian, I just wished it hadn't happened and I wished the no one, especially Fred would find out. "Why have you been avoiding me?" I can't meet Fred gaze as he leans down to whisper to me, "I haven't." I spare him a glance to see the hard look he was giving me and before either of us can say anything Harry speaks again. 

I avoid Fred throughout the session, "what's that?" George asks as Harry says goodbye to everyone and reminds them on how next weeks session would be our last until after the holidays. "What's what?" I ask confused as I finish tying my hair up, "on your neck." George says moving closer. I let my hair drop back down to cover my neck, "nothing I think it's..." I don't even know what to make up as I see the smirk George is sending my way as he's realised what it is. "Oi well done Freddie you didn't tell me that-" 

"George no!" I whisper grabbing his arm urgently startling him into not finishing his sentence, his smirk drops as he sees the look on my face. But it's too late Fred had seen the whole thing, as had Daphne both giving me similar looks of shock and disappointment I look away at seeing the hurt all over Fred's face. 

Everyone else leaves quickly, "Fred." I say my voice unstable not knowing what I could say to make him hurt less. He turns away from me George quick to go over to him. Whilst they whisper about something Daphne comes over to me, "what were you thinking?" She hisses taking a good look at my neck, "I-" she looks back at me, "you promised you'd come to me, and that you'd stay away from him." 

"I'm sorry Daphne, I was looking for you and it was a mistake, I know it was, I told him that, it was just once I swear." I tell her as she shakes her head, and then makes her way to the door, "I'll um leave you two to talk." George says following after her. 

Fred doesn't look at me and I have to try and not cry, I was the one who hurt him not the other way. "Fred...I'm sorry." I say not knowing what else there was to say. "Why? If you didn't want to be with me you could've just told me." I shake my head, "it wasn't that." I say, "Why did you kiss me? I didn't ask you to, you kissed me, I thought you liked me." He says confused, "I thought we-"

"I thought we had something." He says his voice lowering, "I did like you Fred, I do like you." He shakes his head at me, "if you liked me why would you sneak around with another boy after kissing me?" He asks, "I'm sorry it was a mistake, you're the only-" 

"I was worried about you! I worried all week I thought I'd scared you, pressured you when you weren't ready, I thought that I had ruined things between us but you just wanted someone else? I was so stupid to think you'd actually like me, I mean why would you I'm not even half as-" I shake my head furiously as I step closer to him and grab at his arm desperately, "I don't want anyone else. I was scared, I was scared of my feelings for you." He shakes his head, "I swear you're the only boy I want." He shakes my arm off, and I feel so bad seeing the tears in his eyes as he struggles to say what's on his mind.

"I'm sorry Fred, I'm so sorry I made a mistake." He looks at me regretfully and nods, "yeah you did." He leaves me in silence, I watch him leave in pain, it hurt I had hurt him, I never wanted to do that ever. And I'd ruined everything between us, but maybe it was better this way I had wanted him distanced away from me for his safety and I guess this would ensure that. He'd never come anywhere near me again.


	30. THIRTY

The next five days had been awful, I couldn't stand to be around anyone, quite a few of the Gryffindors had taken to calling me a slytherwhore, very classy, a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs joining in. Fred wouldn't really speak to me and neither would George. Daphne would, she was there for me but being honest, being around her just made me feel a bit worse because I knew that even though she wasn't saying it, I knew she agreed with everyone else. And so I took to spending my time alone. I couldn't really cry about it because it was my fault, I had done this to myself and there was no one to blame but me. 

The only person I had seemed to make happy was Draco, but not for anything good. He just enjoyed the thought of one of the Weasleys being hurt. I had missed my brother though so I took his sudden burst of kindness. Adrian also tried to help but it just kind of made things worse. 

I was walking out from class when I spot Fred, he's with George and our eyes meet, he clenches his jaw as she looks at me a mixture of something with sadness and annoyance but I couldn't tell what. I wanted to speak to him but the way he tore his eyes away from me and walked in the opposite direction told me it probably wasn't the best idea. "Oh look it's the Slytherwhore, better hide your man before she goes for him too." A Hufflepuff girl, I recognise as one of Cedric's friends giggles as her and her friend bump into me harshly making me drop my things. "Bet she didn't even care about Cedric." The other one chimes making my eyes water as I scoop down to collect my things. I notice others laughing at me and so I just turn around and go up the stairs to the astronomy tower. 

I sit in my seat and lean my head on the railing as I cry, why was everyone being so mean to me? Yes I hurt Fred but I didn't do anything that bad for the whole school to gang up on me. The Ravenclaw girls just liked to gossip and branding me as a whore was rather exciting stuff for them so they couldn't help but spread it around. The Hufflepuffs too. Everyone knew Fred and George and so some were mad saying I shouldn't have lead two boys on at once, but I didn't not really. I didn't want a relationship with either of them at the time. 

I sit there for I don't even know how long just staring out at the view, I duck under the railing to be on the other side to look down from the tower, I was so high up it'd be a disaster if I fell. I stand up as I grip the railing behind me tightly, I wondered how it'd feel to fall, would the impact kill me instantly or would I suffer? I mean it's not like I'd find out anytime soon but I was curious. I wondered if the snow below would soften the fall. 

I let out a small laugh as I feel the wind whip through my hair, I didn't fly much but now I knew why everyone else loved it, the adrenaline gave such a rush and being so high up was indescribable, the view below was beautiful it made me feel truly alive. Just as I'm about to duck back into the tower not wanting to test my luck someone grabs me from behind making me jump. Thank merlin I gripped onto the railing tighter. 

"Miss Malfoy what are you doing?!" For a second I had been scared that it was Umbridge, I'd been such a good job of staying out of her way and out of trouble. I'm instantly relieved to see it's McGonagall. I duck back into the tower to meet her wide eyes. "I was just enjoying the view." I shrug noticing how her face falls at seeing my own stained with tears. "Come with me." She says urgently dragging me along with her. "Am I in trouble Professor?" I ask making her shake her head at me as she sends me a warm smile. 

She takes me all the way to Dumbledore's office, he looks a bit confused at our entrance until she goes over and whispers something to him. "Miss Malfoy what were you doing on the astronomy tower?" He asks me in a gentle tone. "I was thinking?" I reply really confused, "just thinking?" My eyes widen as I realise what they thought, "for merlins sake I wasn't about to jump." I tell them making Dumbledore smile and nod but McGonagall looks unconvinced. "I don't believe that you were going to, but we've decided to send you home." My eyebrows furrow, "home? Why?" They share a glance before smiling at me as though I were fragile, "over the past few weeks we've noticed your behaviour and think that you taking an extra week for your holidays would be beneficial." I look between them confused, "but I can't leave a week early I have to be preparing for the newts." 

"You are a very bright young witch Miss Malfoy, you can afford an extra week." I nod a bit dumbfounded, "alright." I guess I was going home. "I've informed Sirius to expect you." I smile thinking of how I'd get to see him again, there'd been no way for me to contact him without risk of compromising the order or his location. This extra week off school actually sounded marvellous. No one judging or calling me horrid names? No school work? Why had I been hesitant for this. I bet Sirius was bored out of his mind. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Sirius? I'm home." I call as I walk into his house. I glance into the doorway for a second to be knocked to the ground, I look down at the man I had landed on top of. "Oh sorry." I say that the same time he apologises. I take him in for a second feeling like I'd seen him somewhere before. "You-you're still on me." He says after a second making my face flush as I scramble to get off him. "Oh sorry." I say as he chuckles and shakes his head, "it's alright, I'm Bill." I take his outstretched hand with a small smile, I realise that he was a Weasley the oldest Weasley son."Lyra." He smiles at me, "Malfoy?" I nod, "nice to meet you Lyra, I've been here a few times for dinner but you were locked away in your room." I nod, "right I used to do that a lot." He shrugs, "well I mean at least I know you weren't avoiding me." I let out a small laugh. 

"Do you know where Sirius is?" I ask realising that we were still holding hands, he sees what I had been looking at and we let them drop awkwardly a slight blush on both of our faces. "He's taking a nap I think, I'm not sure my mum wanted me to drop him some food off for him though." I nod, "do you want me to help you take your things to your room?" He asks looking at my luggage by my legs. "Oh it's ok I can do it." He lifts my trunk up anyways, "I'm sure you can but what type of gentleman would I be if I let you?" He winks making me smile slightly, "well thank you." I say as I lead him to my room. 

"Lyra? I thought I heard your voice." I grin as Sirius appears at the doorway, "Sirius!" He laughs as I throw myself into his arms, "why're you back so soon trouble? I thought I told you to make smart choices." I shrug, "guess I didn't listen." 

"Uh anyways I should get going now, but it was lovely to meet you Lyra, see you soon." I smile and nod at Bill, "it was lovely to meet you too, and thanks for helping with my trunk." He shakes his head as he smiles at me, then with a goodbye to Sirius he's off. 

"Minnie told me that she's worried about you." I hold in a sigh, "I wasn't going to jump Sirius," I tell him, "jump from where?" He asks confused I groan at myself. "The astronomy tower." His eyes widen, "why does she think that you were going to jump?" I shrug, "she found me on the other side of the railing with a tear stained face." 

"Jeez what's been going on trouble?" He asks making me sigh, "too much." I huff before pulling my hair up away from my face, which it was irritating. "Hold on what's that?" I curse myself in my head how had I forgotten that the mark on my neck hadn't fully faded yet. "What?" I ask feigning confusion, "oh no trouble, I gave my fair share of those to know when I see one." He smirks, "does this mean you and the Weasley finally got together?" I drop my head into my hands thinking of all the trouble this one hickey had caused me and how hurt Fred had been when he first saw it. 

"A-are you crying?" He asks nervous after a second. "No." I sniffle making him sigh, he wraps his arms around me, "it's ok Lyra, how about we go down for one of our teatime talks?"


	31. THIRTY ONE

"And so I thought kissing Adrian would make my feelings disappear, which it didn't, I knew it was a mistake almost as soon as it happened and I stopped him to tell him that, but it was too late the damage had already been done. And then George saw the hickey at our DA meeting he thought it was from Fred and one thing led to another. I'm so horrible, he was worried about me, he was scared that he'd pressured me and I-" Sirius is watching me intently this is probably the only form of entertainment that he has. 

"Come on Lyra you're being too hard on yourself, you're a kid, you're supposed to make mistakes, nobody's perfect." He says, "I know things seem hard right now but it won't last, you did something dumb but eventually it won't even matter, just if it's supposed to be then it will be and Fred may be upset right now but he'll get over it, that boy cares about you a ton and I just know you're supposed to be together." I look down for a second, "he deserves someone better than me." I say making Sirius shake his head, "you did something stupid and hurtful but you aren't a bad person you just weren't using your brain, besides you can't pick who you love." I nod feeling slightly better. 

"So why were you crying on the astronomy tower?" I take a sip of my tea, "just some girls, almost everyone's calling me the slytherwhore now." Sirius can't help but laugh, "why are you laughing?" I ask with my own confused laughter, "that will die down trust me, school girl gossip never lasts that long." He shrugs making me nod that was true they'd probably moved onto another topic by now. 

"Lyra why were you trying to distance anyways?" I shift in my seat and begin to play with my fingers, "because of my nightmares... the reason I try and distance myself from you all after a nightmare is because I dream that you all die and...it's all my fault." He looks at me in shock, "and I just I don't want anything to happen to any of you, especially not because of me." He nods thoughtfully, "well firstly it's nice to know you care." He says managing to make me smile, "and they're just dreams that won't happen, don't worry so much. And I know it's hard to hear but there's a war coming Lyra people are going to get hurt it's better to just enjoy your time with your loved ones rather than be afraid because nobody's safety is guaranteed." I nod. 

"When did you get so wise?" I ask making him laugh, "what do you mean Lyra I've always been wise." I start laughing at how incorrect that was. "I was just trying to think of what Remus would tell you. He's the wise one." I nod, "my actual advise would be to hex anyone that bothers you." I laugh feeling so much better than I had. "Where is Professor Lupin?" Sirius snorts, I don't know why but he always found it funny when I called Remus Professor Lupin. "Order business, he should be visiting soon." He shrugs making me nod. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

The next week was nice, it was fun Sirius and I had a blast we even snuck out once, to the muggle village I had lived in. Bill visited quite a bit actually and he was nice conversation he had some really interesting stories from his curse breaking in Egypt. Mrs Weasley had visited as well fusing over me, as had Remus, he gave me lots of talks and chocolate because Sirius had told them both that I tried to jump from the astronomy tower because he thought it was funny. I had to assure them that I hadn't but they were both a bit hesitant to believe it. Remus had begun giving me lots of talks, like a lot it was kinda like he was trying to be therapist but I didn't mind it that much he was very comforting and he did give great advise. Mrs Weasley even offered for me to go back to her house for the remainder of the holidays but I felt bad leaving Sirius alone so I declined, besides I wouldn't really want to spend the holidays with Fred he needed his space from me.

It was basically the middle of the night but I woke up to hear shouting from downstairs, I creeped down hesitantly. Only to hear it go silent, I enter the room sleepily to see Sirius, "Sirius whats going on?" I question rubbing my eyes, "nothing trouble, go back to bed." He says but the look on his face told me that it wasn't nothing. And then I see the room is filled up with red heads they're all sat on the couches with worry clearly on their faces and their heads bowed. 

"Arthur was attacked?" My eyes widen no longer feeling tired. "How is he?" Sirius shrugs with a sigh, "we don't know." I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to trouble the Weasleys more I feel as though I shouldn't be there. I glance at Fred who had his head in his hands he looked so worried and my heart churned I wished that I could be there for him to comfort him but he hated me and probably didn't want anything to do with me especially right now so I move towards the kitchen. 

A few seconds later Ron enters, "is there um any food?" He asks pacing slightly, "I think so what do you want?"  
He shrugs as he begins biting his nails, "I don't care anything, I just um need...something." I nod and watch him stress eat before he starts pacing again. "Hey, hey it's going to be ok." I tell him grabbing his shoulders to stop with the pacing because it was giving me a bit of a headache. "How do you know?" He asks, "I don't but I have faith your father is a strong man, he'll be fine." I assure him he nods slightly unconvinced. Suddenly he wraps his arms around me surprising me, I pat his back awkwardly, "there there." I say not knowing what to say to him. 

"I get why Fred likes you." He says once he lets me go making me blush and laugh a bit, "yeah I don't know about that." He shrugs, "don't worry Lyra he's madly in love you." I shake my head with a smile, "I don't think he'd appreciate you telling me that." Ron shrugs, "he embarrasses me all the time so who cares." I laugh a little, "let's get you back to your siblings."


	32. THIRTY TWO

Mr Weasley was fine thank Merlin but Harry was acting strange after a visit to st Mungos. Ginny told me that it was because they overheard something about him being possessed by Voldemort or something and it made sense to me, he was doing what I had done. Distance himself out of fear of hurting the others. 

"Harry open the door." I say whilst everyone converses downstairs, he doesn't give me a response. "Harry open the door before I blast it off it's hinges." He opens it and looks at me with a bit of annoyance. "Why are you moping about in your room?" I ask pushing my way in. "They haven't told you? Voldemort possessed me." I sit beside him, "Harry I don't think he possessed you, you didn't do anything Mr Weasley was attacked by a snake." 

"I was the snake." My eyebrows furrow, "Harry-" he shakes his head, "I'm not crazy!" I shake my head, "I didn't say you were but you weren't the snake, look I don't know what I can say that will make you believe me but hiding out in your room won't do any good." I say to him, "is that why you do it constantly?" I sigh, "I'm speaking from experience Harry, it doesn't work." He looks unsure, "they don't want to speak to me." I shake my head, "they're sacred." I didn't know what they were feeling since I hadn't really spoken to any of them about it. "I don't think they are, you're scared." He nods, "I don't want to hurt anybody." 

"You won't." He sighs, "can I just be alone?" I nod, "sure but Harry we are all here for you don't forget that." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We were all having dinner Fred and George sat as far away from me as possible so I stayed near Sirius and Bill who had shown up, he was currently telling me another curse breaking story. "No way that's amazing!" I notice Fred roll his eyes at us but I try to ignore it. After the story I was talking to ginny about school when Mrs Weasley suddenly involved me in the argument she was having with Bill about his long hair. "Lyra dear, don't you think that Bill would look so handsome if he had a haircut." They both turn to me expectantly making me nervous why were they asking me? "Oh come on mum leave her alone." Bill says, but she's still looking at me waiting for a reply almost everyone was. "Oh well um, I think that he looks rather handsome with his hair the way it is." I say making him beam at me, "thank you Lyra." Mrs Weasley doesn't appreciate me not taking her side though and continues the little disagreement with him as Fred rolls his eyes yet again. 

Then I turn my attention back to Ginny as I try to act as through Fred wasn't glaring at both Bill and I. "Lyra why did you leave school early?" Ginny asks as we continue our conversation, "oh well you see trouble here was caught trying to dive from the astronomy tower." I kick Sirius under the table as the room goes silent. "Stop telling people that!" I hiss at him as he smirks and everyone stares at me. "Sirius you know not to mention it." Mrs Weasley chimes in a disapproving tone making everyone else think it actually happened. 

"That's not what happened." I say, Ginny nods sending me a small smile, "come on trouble it's ok you can tell them the truth." I kick him once more making him wince, "I'll tell the truth on what you were doing last Tuesday." I threaten quietly knowing how Mrs Weasley would go on at him if she found out that he had snuck out. "You were the one who snuck me out so we'll both be going down if you tell." He whispers over to me, "it's not funny Sirius! Poor Lyra could've died!" Mrs Weasley scolds as my face goes bright red, Sirius amused smirk drops as well. 

Well the mood of the room has declined nobody speaks we're all in awkward silence staring down at our plates. "Um thanks for dinner Mrs Weasley it was lovely as always." I say getting out of my chair and leaving the room.

I hold in a groan as I hear a knock at my door, I open it surprised to see Bill on the other side, "I just uh came to make sure that you're ok." He says, "yeah I'm fine that was just a bit awkward, Sirius thinks it's funny to embarrass me." I shrug and he nods, "but you're ok?" I nod, "just slightly embarrassed." He lets out a small laugh, "there's nothing to be embarrassed about." 

Bill sits with me for a while just talking about random things, "what was it like growing up in the manor?" He asks me, "boring? Quiet and pretty lonely actually, what about you what was it like growing up in the burrow?" He smiles, "loud. Very loud there was never a moments peace especially after the twins were born, I don't know how mum and dad did it." I smile as he continues to talk about his family, "it's sounds wonderful." He nods, "it was, it was crazy but I wouldn't change a single one of them for the world, well maybe Percy, but all six of them are special in their own ways."

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey trouble, I just wanted to say sorry if I took it too far at dinner tonight, Moony says that I have no sense of boundaries and I'm not sure if he's completely wrong with that." I laugh and shake my head, "you're fine, just please stop telling people that I tried jumping." He nods, "you got it." He hovers for a second. "Yes?" I ask he looks around and then steps into my room and closes the door behind him. "You know when you left Fred was getting up to come and check on you but then Bill beat him to it and he sat back down in such a mood." I can't help but laugh at the pure excitement on Sirius's face as he spills the gossip to me. "So?" He shoots me a disbelieving look, "what do you mean so? This means he's still into you, honestly you should've seen the looks he was shooting Bill whilst the two of you were taking during dinner and he was so mad when Bill came back down after checking up on you, honestly looked like he was ready to murder." I let out a small laugh, "calm down Sirius I'm supposed to be the teenage girl here." He laughs too, "ok ok but make sure to keep flirting with Bill to make Fred jealous." I can't take this man seriously, "Sirius!" I shriek out laughter in disbelief.


	33. THIRTY THREE

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron asks his mouth full of food the next day at lunch, Sirius smirks at the sound of the loud music, "it's Lyra, the girl's obsessed with muggle music she's been blasting it non stop for the past week, it's been driving me mental." He says shaking his head with a small laugh, as the music gets louder. "What does she need her music so loud for?" Sirius shrugs, "she'll be in there singing and dancing along but trust me if she catches sight of you she will hex you." He warns seeing how they all want to go and see the show Lyra was putting on. "Oh this is a good song." Hermione chimes recognising the muggle music, making Ron grin over at her as she hums it slightly under breath. 

"It is very entertaining though, she acts as though she's preforming for a crowd you should go and see." Sirius smirks egging them on, thinking of how entertaining it would be if she caught them. It doesn't take long for them all to clamber up the stairs and position themselves outside of Lyra's room. "I have a bad feeling about this, shouldn't we respect her privacy?" Hermione says voicing her concerns making the others roll their eyes. "It's just a bit of fun." 

"But feel free to leave if you don't want to see the show." She doesn't make any indication to move so they continue, Ginny cracks the door open just enough so they can all see but so that Lyra wouldn't be able to see them. Hermione lets out a giggle making Ron quickly cover her mouth fortunately the music is too loud for Lyra to have even heard them. "It looks like she's having a right good time, I want to join her." Ginny murmurs as they watch Lyra dance around the room as she sings along into her wand. "This is gold." 

Fred can't help but tune everyone out as he watches Lyra giggle to herself as she dances ridiculously, a bright smile makes it's way to his face at the pure joy on her face and he feels his heart beat just a bit faster wishing he could've been in there dancing with her with a matching goofy grin on his face. 

Fred's so engrossed on Lyra that he doesn't notice how the others were watching him now, all with knowing smirks as they take in the look of pure admiration on his face as he watched the girl with hearts practically in his eyes. Then Fred accidentally knocks Hermione and Ginny into the room as he takes a step forward without thinking. 

All the smirks are gone as they remember Sirius's warning, Harry and Ron quickly running in one direction as George grabs Fred and pulls him in the other. The two girls look at each other wide eyed as Lyra turns to look at them. "Yes?" She asks with a kind smile easing their nerves, "it sounded like you were having fun...we wanted to join?" She grins and puts the music back up as she grabs onto their hands, "of course!" She beams as they laugh and dance with her, having the time of their lives. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We were helping clean today because it was Christmas soon and Mr Weasley would also be returning home. I'm alone in one of the bedrooms dusting, my eyebrows furrowing as I keep hearing rustling sounds from the cupboard, I shakily raise my wand, "Fred, George if that's you it's not funny." I say before spelling it open I see a flash of red hair, "Fred what are you doing?" He doesn't reply so I take a step forward, "Fred?" Suddenly he falls out of the cupboard dead. I don't even realise the scream that I let out as I jump back in shock. "Fred!" I take a step forward and burst into tears and I sink to my knees as I take in his blood covered face. 

How was this happening? How was he dead? Then I look up to see myself stood over him, except I looked different I was wearing a tight dark dress with short sleeves showing the dark mark on my arm. This wasn't real, but with one look back at the lifeless Fred on the ground it felt so real and I couldn't help but cry harder. 

Sirius and Remus burst into the room shocked to see the sight before them, Sirius gently grabs me from behind, pulls me up and turns me away from Fred's fake dead body. He holds me close as I sob into his chest not able to get the image out of my mind. Remus deals with the boggart as I faintly hear the others speaking outside of the room, Mrs Weasley is trying to keep them out but Fred is arguing with her shouting about how I'd screamed for him. 

"Lyra that wasn't real, it was just a boggart." Sirius tells me making me nod, "Fred is ok, he's fine." His words are comforting but I still feel that dread because all I could see was Fred's dead body staring back at me his eyes chillingly empty. He takes me out of the room where I see everyone in a crowd watching me worriedly but I don't care about any of that because the second my eyes land on Fred stood there concern all over his face I burst into tears again as I run into his arms. He stumbles slightly but wraps his arms around me without a second of hesitation. 

"Lyra are you ok?" He asks but I don't reply I just hold him as tight as possible trying to focus on his heartbeat to stop my crying, "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." I whisper over and over feeling as though I were going to collapse at any second. "What happened?" I hear Mrs Weasley ask Sirius in a hushed tone as she watches me, "boggart." Sirius says making her gasp, "oh poor dear, what's got her so shaken?" She asks, "is she really this scared of her dad?" Someone asks in a hushed tone, "she saw herself with the dark mark stood over Fred's dead body." Sirius tries to lower his voice as he tells her but everyone had heard him, I know cause I heard them all gasp. I can't even find it in me to care though all I cared about was the fact Fred was ok. 

Fred tightens his arms around me. "I'm ok Lyra, I'm fine." He assures me quietly, stroking my hair to calm me as Mrs Weasley makes everyone else go downstairs. "Fred dear take Lyra to her room." She instructs sending me a sympathy filled smile as she watches me cling to her son as though it were life threatening. 

"I'm so sorry." I barely manage to get out with the amount I had been crying as Fred takes me to my room and sits me down. "Stop apologising." He says wiping my eyes, "I'm fine see, the only thing dead about me is the fact that I'm drop dead gorgeous." He smiles as I let out a small laugh. 

This whole time I had thought that loving Fred would be dangerous and that it would lead to him getting hurt but then just seeing and thinking he was dead, the biggest regret I felt was the fact that I had not been able to love him or the fact that he didn't know how I truly felt about him. Sirius was right the war was coming and nobody's safety was guaranteed I just had to make the most of whatever time we had together. 

He smiles softly at me as I yawn, "do you want to take a nap?" He asks, I shake my head making him chuckle, "get some rest it'll make you feel better." I grab his hand, "don't leave me." I plead making his eyes soften as he nods. He climbs into the bed beside me, wrapping his arms around me as I lay on his chest. My eyes begin to flutter shut as he plays with my hair, "don't leave me." I repeat half asleep, "never." He says his arms tightening as I listen to his steady heartbeat allowing it to assure me that he was fine and lull me to sleep.


	34. THIRTY FOUR

The next morning I feel so much better as I wake to find myself in Fred's arms, I smile up at his peacefully sleeping face until I start to feel a bit uneasy. He looked a bit too relaxed, he was sleeping right? "Fred?" I nudge him but nothing, "Fred? Fred wake up." I say starting to panic, "I'm up I'm up." He murmurs sleepily before realising I was freaking out, I sigh in relief and drop my head on his shoulder making him chuckle. "Lyra I'm not going to die anytime soon, don't worry so much." He says kissing my head. 

"Fred I think we should speak." I say sitting up making him do the same, he leans back against the headboard and nods. "I-I really like you." He smiles, "aren't you sweet?" He says making me blush, "Fred I'm trying to be serious." He laughs and nods, "sorry." I begin pulling at the ends of my sleeves, "as I was saying, I really like you, like a lot, and I've tried really hard to fight these feelings because I'm scared that if we're together you're going to get hurt." He shakes his head, "that's ridiculous." I shoot him a look to tell him to stop interrupting. "But seeing the boggart just let me know that you could get hurt at any time and I'd rather spend whatever time we have together and happy not me wasting it trying not to love you." He smiles really big, "you love me?" 

"I didn't say that." I say nervously my face redder than his hair, "yes you did." He smirks as I hide my face behind my hands. "Lyra I love you too." He says pulling my hands from my face. "You do?" He looks confused, "why wouldn't I?" I shrug, "I'm sorry about-" he shakes his head and pulls me closer, "doesn't matter anymore, all that matters is me and you." I grin and lean in, "wait this means that we can officially be together right?" I nod with a laugh making the biggest smile I'd ever seen on him breakout. "Finally." He murmurs before connecting our lips. 

"Hey trouble we- woah!" I quickly jump up off Fred and look to see Sirius and Remus looking between us wide eyed, "I was not expecting that." He hums after a second before his eyes narrow at Fred, "get out of here." He says making Fred nod and run from the room. "Sirius!" Remus chuckles, "we were coming to check that you were ok." He says handing me a bar of chocolate that he had ready, "thank you." I murmur taking the chocolate with a smile. 

"But it seems that you are perfectly fine." Sirius smirks making me roll my eyes, "well done trouble, although door open from now on young lady." He says sternly making me laugh, "I mean it." He says in a very serious tone, "come on Sirius leave the poor girl alone." Remus says sending me wink. 

"Lyra is a smart girl she knows to be safe when-" My eyes widen in horror. "No! No no no, I love and appreciate the both of you but no we were not- and we do not need to have this conversation right now. We don't need to have this conversation ever actually." The two just look at each other and laugh at my burning face. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

As soon as we get downstairs Mrs Weasley pulls me into her arms, "oh how are you dear?" She frets making me smile, "I'm fine, thank you." I assure her making her grin warmly at me, "come sit and have some breakfast." She says pulling me over to the table where almost everyone was. "You know George I happened to stumble into a very interesting scene this morning." I glare at Sirius from across the table as George smirks, "why are you such a gossip?" I question the man who's looking very proud of himself. "Did it happen to have anything to do with our lovely Lyra and Fred?" George asks making Sirius grin, "why yes, how did you know?" I shake my heads at the two idiots as everyone else watches amused. "You see I noticed Freddie never came back to our room last night." George smirks. 

"Would the two of you please get your own lives so that you don't need to be so obsessed with mine?" I ask making everyone else laugh, "oh but then we wouldn't get to hear what Sirius walked in on." George says throwing a wink my way making me roll my eyes, "well what was it?" Ginny asks the other three kids leaning forward in interest as well. 

Before Sirius can open his fat mouth Fred joins us all in the kitchen, he smiles and leans over to kiss me before sitting down leaving everyone staring at us in shock. "What are you all staring for? A guy can't kiss his girlfriend in the morning?" He asks making them all grin, "finally!" They cheer making Fred and I share a wide eyed glance as we laugh. "Took your bloody time." Ron says his mouth full of food making Hermione scowl at him disgusted, "honestly Ronald could you not have just waited until your mouth was empty?" He shrugs and continues to eat. 

"What's going on?" Mrs Weasley asks at hearing everyone being loud, "Fred finally managed to get Lyra to be his girlfriend mum." I blush slightly as her eyes land on us, "oh really?" We nod, "oh that wonderful, absolutely wonderful!" She beams pulling me out of my chair and into her arms again, "you're already like part of the family but welcome." She smiles warmly at me kissing my cheek making me smile, "good Lord relax woman I didn't ask her to marry me." Fred says earning himself a slap on the back of the head from his mum. 

"Oh I'm so proud of you, you got yourself such a lovely girlfriend." She beams making Fred laugh, "thanks mum." He says before smiling over at me. "At this rate she's going to planning us a party." He whispers over to me making me laugh, "aren't the two of you so cute?" I look up to see everyone still watching us, "alright I get that we're probably the most attractive couple you'll ever lay eyes on but there's no need to stare." Fred addresses the others making giggle as he winks at me.


	35. THIRTY FIVE

It was Christmas today and the day mr Weasley was coming home so everyone was extra excited. "Merry Christmas!" The twins jump on me I laugh at their enthusiasm as it wakes me, "Merry Christmas." I mumble back, sleep still in my voice making them look at each other. "Pathetic you've got to say it with more enthusiasm it's Christmas not just any old day." I roll my eyes but smile at them, "merry Christmas!" I say with as much enthusiasm I can making them grin. "That's more like it, now come on!" They say pulling me out of bed. 

We go down to see Mrs Weasley crying, "what's wrong mum?" George asks worriedly, and then we see the package in her arms, "Percy sent back his Christmas present without so much as a note." She says making me frown, I couldn't help but wonder if my mother cried over me like this. It seemed unlikely. She begins to cry harder at the twins attempt to cheer her up by insulting Percy making me slap them, "stop it you're not helping." I hiss making them step back. Thankfully Remus comes over and he begins to calm her down, the three of us take that as our que to leave. 

We make our way to Harry and Ron's room to find them opening some of the presents by their beds we were going to do an in person gift exchange later and I was so nervous because I really hoped everyone would like the presents I had gotten for them. "Merry Christmas!" I grin making them both smile up at us, "Merry Christmas!" They beam back, before Fred and George tell them not to go down for a while. "Why not?" Ron asks us confused. "Mum's crying again," said Fred heavily. "Percy sent back his Christmas jumper."

"Without a note," added George. "Hasn't asked how Dad is or visited him or anything. . . ." Ron looks annoyed by the news, "We tried to comfort her," said Fred, moving around the bed to look at a painting that Harry had. "Told her Percy's nothing more than a hu- mongous pile of rat droppings —"

"— didn't work," George, finished helping himself to a Chocolate Frog. "So Lupin took over. Best let him cheer her up before we go down for breakfast, I reckon."  
"What's that supposed to be anyway?" asked Fred, squinting at the painting. "Looks like a gibbon with two black eyes." I too try and figure it out even turning my head to see if that helps. "It's Harry!" George exclaims, pointing at the back of the picture. "Says so on the back!"  
"Good likeness," said Fred, grinning, harry then threw his pillow in his direction only for the twins to apparate away as I laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" He asks making me shake my head, "nothing, I've just never seen you look so handsome before." I add nodding towards the painting making him throw his other pillow at me. Him and Ron laughing as it hits me square in the face, "you're lucky that it's Christmas and so I'm going to let that slide." I say making him smile innocently at me. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We all had a nice breakfast and were just hanging out as we waited for Mrs Weasley to bring Mr Weasley home. "You look beautiful." Fred says as he wraps his arms around me from behind, I smile and turn around so I could see his face. "Thank you, you look cute, I love how you and George are wearing matching jumpers, it's adorable." He blushes, "I'm not cute." He says making me laugh, "it's not a bad thing," I assure him as he pours looking extra cute. "As sickeningly adorable as the two of you are can you stop?" I laugh at George's complaints and purposely kiss Fred to annoy him further. Once I pull away Fred shakes his head and pulls me back into him so that we can continue kissing. 

"Hey loverbirds cut it out or go and get a room." Ginny says making me laugh really loud as Fred stares at his younger sister in disbelief. "Ok let me go, I'm gonna ask Ginny to braid my hair." I tell Fred as his arms are wrapped securely around my waist. "I can do it." He offers making me look at him surprised, "you can?" He nods, "I'm a man of many talents love." He winks making me giggle. 

"Since when did you have a tattoo?" Fred asks after he's done braiding my hair, "she does, where?" George asks coming over to see, "behind her ear." He says as everyone else crowds around. "Alright everyone relax I'll show you my tattoos." I say standing up as they all look up at me expectantly. "Tattoos? As in plural?" Hermione rolls her eyes at Ron's question, "well considering she said tattoos and not tattoo yes it would appear Lyra is indicating that she has more than one tattoo." He rolls his eyes back at her, "alright calm down it was just a question." 

"Anyways how many do you have and since when?" Fred asks intrigued, "she has four." Sirius answers as he enters the room, "I actually have five, and I got them done just over a week ago." Sirius's eyebrows furrow, "five? No when we went you got four." He says making me face palm, "you went with her?" Hermione asks accusingly as Remus has joined the room, "who went where?" I shoot Sirius a disbelieving look as he realises what he said. 

"Lyra and Sirius snuck out to get tattoos." I gasp as I look over at Hermione who just snitched on us, "you what?" Sirius and I share a look, "it's ok we were completely safe." I try and say but Remus is glaring at Sirius. 

"You snuck out to let Lyra get tattoos? That was so irresponsible Sirius and so unsafe what if you were seen?" He shrugs, "we weren't and besides no one would've recognised us we went to that small muggle village Lyra lived in, there was barely anyone around." Remus sighs at his friends nonchalant behaviour, "Sirius you were under strict instructions not to leave the house, and Lyra is not even old enough to be getting tattoos." 

"Well I mean the guy didn't ask my age besides Sirius stayed in his animagus form so no one even suspected anything, I was going to get them with or without him anyways." I shrug making Remus shake his head at me, "you weren't supposed to leave here either, the two of you got lucky, but don't go pulling any stunts like this again." He says making Sirius nod, "you got it moony we'll be completely responsible." He assures Remus before winking at me from behind his shoulder. 

"So what did you get?" I nod, "I have one on my ankle..."Before I can continue with my sentence George has grabbed my leg and pulled it up making me let out a yelp as I go flying backwards. Fred catches me and steadies me, "oh it's a little badger with a hufflepuff scarf?" He looks up confused but everyone aside from him and Ron have figured out what it meant. "For Cedric?" Hermione asks making me nod, "yeah...every tattoo I got is meaningful to me." 

"Now can you let me go George, I will show you the tattoos myself." I say laughing as he blushes and drops my leg after everyone has had a look. "It's really cute." I smile, "thanks." 

"What's the one behind your ear mean?" I smile as I reach up to touch it, "it's a lotus flower, they symbolise new beginnings." I say, "new beginnings?" Fred asks me, "it's a reminder to me the embrace my new beginnings, like leaving the manor lead me here where I found all of you." They all smile at that. "I have one on the side of my rib cage, it's the constellation that Draco was named after, now I know you're not his biggest fan but he's my brother and regardless of his stupidity I love him." I say noticing their distasteful looks. "Well show us." I blush a bit not really wanting to lift my shirt to them all. "It is pretty cool." Hermione says as I giggle because Fred was tracing over it and I was pretty ticklish, he smiles softly at me. 

The two of us stare at each other until someone clears there throat, "right," I say blushing about realising the room was full, "and um I got one on my collarbone." I say pulling my jumper down slightly to show them the small bunch of flowers that slightly curved resting just under my collarbone. "Flowers? How are flowers meaningful?" 

"They're narcissus flowers." Hermione says elbowing Ron, "I got them for my mum Narcissa." I explain making everyone nod quietly as I wipe my eyes thinking of her and how much I actually missed her. I had at least seen Draco at school but I'd only seen my mum once at the station. "Um anyways." 

"You said you got five that's four." I smile now thinking of my last one, "that's because this one I got in secret." Sirius looks confused, I pull my jumper back down to show my other collar bone which held a small trail of paw prints. He looks like he's about to cry, "for me?" I nod a really big smile on my face, at his reaction this may have been the best Christmas present I could ever get. 

He pulls me into a tight hug making me laugh, "that's the best present anyone could get me." He whispers making me smile, "thank you, for everything. You somehow weasled your way into becoming one of the most important people in my life." I say making him laugh, "same goes for you trouble." He looks down at me a fond smile on his face.


	36. THIRTY SIX

"Sit down, everybody, sit down. That's it." Mrs Weasley instructs seeing where we were all waiting at the table as she wheeled mr Weasley in. Everyone smiles and greet him happily as I help Mrs Weasley set the table. "Thank you dear." She smiles patting my hand before I sit across from Fred and beside Harry. We do a Christmas toast to Harry for saving Mr Weasleys life before we all have a lovely meal. 

"Now, presents." Mrs Weasley says as we all get comfortable in the living room. She hands hers out looking between Fred and George in confusion for a second switching the parcels in her hands before switching them again and then just shaking her head and passing them to me. I laugh and hand each twin their marked parcel. "Hey everyone sorry I'm late." Bill says as he enters the room, everyone gets up to greet him. "Hi. Merry Christmas." I smile as he pulls me into a hug, "merry Christmas." He smiles down at me before we all go back to our places. 

Fred decides to pull me down into his lap though, "Fred what are you doing?" I hiss my face burning up as everyone turns to watch us, "what? It'll be easier for mum to differentiate Georgie and I now shouldn't it?" He says sending me an innocent smile before shooting Bill a look and kissing me. "Fred." I laugh pulling away, "stop it, you have nothing to worry about." I whisper to him kissing his cheek, he didn't really think there was nothing going on between Bill and I did he? Bill had already told me all about Fleur, she had interned at gringotts where Bill worked to improve her English and it seems he had taken a liking to her, although he was slightly afraid to tell his mother. "Oh Arthur I can't believe I forgot to tell you, Fred asked Lyra to be girlfriend, how wonderful is that? Aren't they such a wonderful couple." Mrs Weasley says to her husband making Fred laugh as I blush. "Yes yes, very wonderful, I'm glad you're happy son, and welcome to the family Lyra." Mr Weasley says making me smile. "What is it with them and acting like I proposed?" Fred whispers making me giggle. 

"Anyways are we going to waste all of our time on the happy new couple or can we open presents?" George asks impatiently. "Yes yes go ahead everyone." Mrs Weasley says, I neatly pull the wrapping paper from my parcel a smile making its way to my face. I knew how Mrs Weasley would knit each member of her family a jumper with their initial on it, I knew cause I would see them every year and I'd find myself wishing that someday someone would care enough about me to spend the time and make me such a personal gift. My parents were great gift givers no doubt they would give the best presents they could find and I was grateful but the presents were not thoughtful just expensive. 

"Oh dear do you not like it?" Mrs Weasley asks worriedly noticing my eyes which had tears up, "oh no, no I love it." I tell her getting up and surprising her with a hug, "thank you so much, so much it's amazing." She laughs slightly and wipes my eyes. "It's just a jumper." She says confused, "this is the best Christmas present I have ever received in my life." I tell her honestly making her smile warmly at me, "I'm glad you like it so much, why don't you go and try it on." She suggests making me nod and run out of the room. 

"Oh you look beautiful." She praises when I return, "it fits perfectly." She says making me twirl for her, "thank you." I thank her again making her smile, the jumper was so soft I could live in forever, I never wanted to take it off. It was a deep emerald green with a beautiful silver L down the middle. "Fred doesn't it bring out her eyes." Fred smiles and nods before pulling me back down into him, "you've really made her day." He says in a grateful tone, "she's made mine." I tell him honestly laughing softly as he begins to trail sweet kisses down my neck. "Stop it." I giggle before nestling into his arms. 

I looked around at the bright smiles on everyone's faces as they conversed with each other and opened gifts this was magical it spread a warmth through my whole body, I wished I could stay here forever in the arms of the boy that I loved whilst the people I loved smiled and laughed around us.

Thankfully everyone had loved the gifts I'd given them. I had given Ron and Ginny quidditch things since they were both new on the team along with a few other things, like lots of food for Ron and just some pretty accessories for Ginny. For Hermione I had gotten a load of interesting books because I knew how she liked reading and a pair of earrings. For Remus I got lots of chocolate and some anti scaring potions for his time of month. Sirius got a lot of gag gifts from me. I gave Bill a jacket that I knew he had wanted and another fang earring to replace the one mrs Weasley claimed disappeared on its own. Fred and George got similar presents, stuff to help them start up their shop and their favourite sweets although I'd given Fred a ring that was supposed to have a protection charm on it, it was also engraved. I got as many useful muggle things that I could for Mr Weasley who was overjoyed. For Mrs Weasley I got whatever I could of things I knew that she wanted or liked. I wanted to be able to repay them in someway for all they had done for me and these gifts weren't even enough in my eyes. 

"It's supposed to be protective so don't ever take it off ok?" Fred smiles softly and kisses my forehead, "you don't need to worry about me so much, I'm never going to leave you, ever." He says seriously, "but I'll never take it off." He assures making me grin. 

When it was Fred's turn he looked really nervous as he handed me the parcels. "You remembered." I smile looking at the book he had gotten me to help with becoming a healer, "I remember everything you've ever told me." He says making me grin as butterflies swarm my stomach, I open the next small box to see a beautiful necklace. It was very simple a small heart charm with a little green gem and our initials engraved into it. "I know it's not muc-" 

"It's amazing, I love it. Thank you." I tell him sincerely, it was amazing there was a simplistic beauty in it that I loved. "You're so great." I say hugging him, he laughs slightly as he stumbles the two of us nearly going down. "Thank you." He says steadying us with one arm and wrapping the other around me. "Honestly I don't even need anything from you, I just..." I lean into his chest and stop for a second and listen to his heartbeat. "Just knowing that you're ok is more than I could ever ask for." I tell him as I pull away to face him, he grabs my chin softly as he smiles at me. "Merlin I love you." He murmurs before kissing me. 

"Alright can the two of you stop with that now?" George asks making us laugh, "Merlin at this rate mum should be getting ready for grandkids soon." I push George as he laughs at our red faces. "Shut up." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

The evening was almost over I just needed to get my gift from Sirius he claimed it was going to be the best gift I've ever received and has been taking joy in making me wait. "Ok trouble now close your eyes and don't open till I say that you can." I nod and do what he asks, "no peaking!" He yells at catching me trying to inconspicuously pry one of my eyes open. "Fine." I huff as Fred covers my eyes with his hands per Sirius's request. 

"What?" I ask at hearing a lot of gasps, "ok bring her over here Fred." I stumble slightly as Fred leads me over to where Sirius asked him to. "Ok now lay on the ground." My eyebrows furrow, "what?" Had I heard that right? "Lay on the ground and keep your eyes covered." I sigh and do what he asks. I grab Fred's hand, "what is it? Why do I have to lay on the ground?" I ask only hearing him laugh in response, "you'll find out in a second love." 

"You're making me nervous." I say hearing everyone else's amused laughter, "it's not going to hurt me is it?" Fred squeezes my hand, "I wouldn't let you get hurt, it's all right relax." I sigh and try to calm myself. Something that proves difficult once Sirius lowers my gift onto me. 

"Oh my god!" I gasp, "what is it?" It felt slightly heavy and it was moving. "Oh my god it's moving! Is my present alive?" Everyone just laughs as I continue to get afraid. "What is it?" I ask, "oh my god it's coming towards my face someone better tell me what it is before I cry." Sirius's laughter is definitely the loudest. "Ok trouble you can open your eyes." I shake my head, "no I'm too scared what is it?" What if it was a miniature dragon and I opened my eyes only for it to burn my eyebrows off? 

"Open your eyes trouble or you'll never find out." I sigh and take a breath before slowly peeling one eye open. I gasp and sit up wide eyed. "You did not!" I say completely overjoyed as I hug the small puppy to me. "You got me a dog?" I say laughing as the puppy tries to lick my face. "Well I remember you saying how you always wanted one and were never allowed." I let the puppy down for a moment as I jump up. "Sirius this is too much I-" 

"Enjoy the gift Lyra, I want you to have him." I beam as I hug Sirius, "thank you, thank you, thank you. You're the best, oh my god I love him so much. Thank you, I love you so much, I'm never going to get over this, he's so precious thank you so much dad." I ramble before noticing everyone looking at me oddly.

"What?" I ask with a confused laugh, "you just called Sirius dad." Harry is the first to speak making my eyebrows furrow, "no I didn't?" Everyone nods making my face heat up. "Aww trouble do you see me as a father figure?" He teases lifting my braids as I roll my eyes and swat his hands away. "No if anything I see you as bother figure because you're always bothering me." I huff making him laugh, "hey! Show your father some respect." George says making me roll my eyes and throwing a couch cushion at him. "It's alright Lyra, you're like the daughter I never wanted." I can't help but laugh as Sirius pulls me into a hug. "Thank you Sirius, I love you." He smiles and kisses my forehead. "I love you too trouble."


	37. THIRTY SEVEN

We had to go back to school soon which I was not looking forward to I wished we could've just stayed here with each other and had fun. "Come on paddy." I usher my small puppy who's running around in circles, before just scooping him up into my arms. I smile as he nestles into my arms happily. 

"Merlin she never lets that dog go, I wish Sirius hadn't gotten it for her." George laughs, "are you jealous of a dog Freddie?" He questions, "look at her with it, she's forgotten about me." I laugh at their lame attempts to whisper, "I've not forgotten about you, don't be silly." I say putting paddy down so that he can eat before looking at my boyfriend. "I'm just trying to spend as much time with him before we go back to Hogwarts." Unfortunately Paddy could not come with because he was not on the list for suitable pets, it was ok though maybe Sirius would be less lonely with a dog to keep him company. 

"But we can spend the day together, if you want." I suggest making him smile, "great what do you want to do?" I shrug, "as long as I'm with you I don't care." George pretends to gag. "The two of you are sickening." I can't help but laugh, "don't get jealous." He rolls his eyes at us, "jealous of the two of you? That's likely." 

I sit beside him and take one of the lollipops from the pile of sweets in front of him. "If you say so." I shrug as his narrow at me, "yeah George whatever helps you sleep at night." Fred adds taking the lollipop from my mouth and putting it in his own. "Hey give it back." I pout, "you're disgusting." George says looking between us. "I mean it's the same as us making out?" I shrug making his face scrunch up. "Disgusting." He repeats. "You know what might make you feel better George? If you babysit Paddy." 

"You do know that he's a dog don't you?" He asks, "he's my baby." Both he and Fred laugh. "He is." I shrug smiling as he pads his way over and begins pawing at my feet. "Just look at how precious he is." I say lifting him up and cradling him to me. "Ok he's cute I'll admit it." I laugh as paddy starts trying to lick my face, Fred watching with a huge smile on his face. "Ok here look after my baby properly." I say handing the sleepy pup over, he really was like a baby, he loved sleeping in my arms. I was so attached to him already I don't know how I was going to cope without him. 

"Where are you guys going?" I shrug and grab Fred's hand. "On a date." I wink making Fred grin. "Aren't I supposed to ask you on a date?" He asks making me shrug, "maybe but I'm asking you, go and get ready. Wear something warm." I instruct making him nod and kiss my cheek before apparating to his room. 

"See you later George." I wave but he's too immersed with paddy already I smile and walk out of the room to go and ask adult if it was ok for Fred and I to leave. "Lyra's on here?" My eyebrows furrow and I pop my head into the family tree room to see Harry and Sirius talking. "What are we saying about me?" They jump as they look over, "my god she's like that saying, speak of the devil and he shall appear." I laugh as I enter the room, I'd been looking for Sirius anyways he was least likely to say no. 

"I was telling young Harry here how we're related." I nod, "why is your name burnt out too?" Harry asks in confusion looking at the scorch mark over my face. "Sirius and I did it, for tradition." I grin, "it's what my mother would've wanted." He says making me laugh, "now did you need something or do you just eavesdrop on others when you're bored?" 

"Yes, no sorry for interrupting but I was looking for you, is it ok if Fred and I go out?" He shrugs, "as long as you guys stay safe I don't see why not." I grin, "thanks see you guys later." Harry smiles and waves, "have fun but not too much." I laugh and shake my head ignoring Sirius, "I mean it young lady." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So where are we going?" Fred asks as we walk down the street hand in hand, "I'm not sure yet, but I want to find something fun to do." He nods, "you really love that jumper don't you?" He asks noticing I was wearing the one Mrs Weasley had gifted me, "yes it's my favourite article of clothing, I'd wear it forever if I could." He laughs, "it's ok love my mums not here." He says, "I'm being serious, I'm in love with it." He laughs even harder. "You're so weird." I shrug, "maybe but you love it." He smiles leaning down to give me a quick kiss, "that I do." 

"Oh ice skating, let's try that." I say noticing the small almost empty square of ice. "Ice skating? What's that?" I shrug, "I'm not really sure but Daphne said it was fun, you glide around on the ice I think?" He shrugs, "alright let's try it." We get the skates and make our way over, I put one foot onto the ice and almost go bloody flying onto my face. Thankfully I had grabbed onto the side to catch myself, "woah it's really slippery." I say as Fred laughs. His laughter stops when he almost falls too though. 

"How is this in anyway fun?" He asks making me shrug, "I mean it's a bit exciting, I think I've got it down." I say after watching the very few other people on the ice. I mimic what I had seen them do and laugh excitedly once I glide smoothly out across the square, I test it out a bit more just to make sure I had the hang of it. "I did it!" He smiles, "great, now tell me how to." I hold my hand out to him, "let's go together." I suggest. It was fun sliding around together Fred was a bit wobbly but we were fine, well until he lost his balance completely and took me down. 

I can't help the omph that escapes as my back hits the ice and he lands on top of me, "oh merlin are you ok Lyra?" He asks getting off of me, "I'm fine." I say before bursting out into laughter, "oh merlin you've hit your head." He says worriedly as I sit up, "no I'm fine, that was just... quite fun actually." He shakes his head joining in with my laughing and helps me up, "ok I think that's enough ice skating for today." I nod my body feeling a tiny bit sore. "It was fun though." I say as we begin walking again he nods, "I guess, my favourite part was being on top of you." I laugh and push him away at his wink. "You're ridiculous." 

"Want a piggyback?" I grin and nod, "hop on." I laugh as he lifts me on his back, "you're making me love these." I say resting my chin on his shoulder gently, "good, I'll give you one whenever you want." I smile and kiss his cheek, "whenever?" I ask, "whenever." He confirms with a small nod turning his head and kissing the tip of my nose making me giggle. "I love you."


	38. THIRTY EIGHT

So back to Hogwarts we were going, I guess it wouldn't be that bad, it was just a shame that my last year was going to be ruined by that toad who never even taught us anything. But oh well I just had to get through it do my newts and then I was free. I was going to be healer, well I hoped I would. It was what I had picked in fifth year I couldn't see myself as an auror and there weren't many other jobs I found interesting. When I had originally had my meeting with Professor Snape about possible careers he was very unhelpful and disinterested. 

Professor McGonagall however thought I'd be an excellent healer and had encouraged me to take that path, so that's how I found myself doing potions, charms, transfiguration, herbology and defence against the dark arts. Yes I felt a little stress because I had to get at least an E in all of them to be able to start my training, everyone tried to assure me that since I had O's predicted for everything that I'd be fine but that gave me just a bit more pressure. 

"Ok trouble focus this term, and make smart choices this time." Sirius says as we say goodbye to each other, "you got it mum." He laughs and nudges me. "You'll look after paddy right?" He rolls his eyes since I'd apparently been pestering him with this, "I've assured you that I will, as a part time dog I can assure you he's in great hands." I nod, "thank you." He nods and then pulls me into a hug, "I'm proud of you Lyra." I sigh and enjoy the hug, "thank you." I whisper. "It's strange to think that I'll miss you and the racket you make." I laugh, "my records are in my room so feel free to listen to them whenever." I shrug knowing he liked it really. 

"Alright have fun." I nod, "you too." Then as he says bye to Harry I hold paddy tightly. "Don't miss me too much." I whisper to him as he lets out a confused little whine. I really wished I could just smuggle him in my trunk but I didn't want to risk it especially with umbridge around, for all I know she'd probably kill him. "It's time to let him go now love." I pout at Fred and hold paddy closer, "I don't want to." He smiles and gently pries the pup from my hold. "You have to, you'll see him again soon anyways." I nod and let him go, he wanders off happily going to curl up in his favourite spot. "Take care dear." Mrs Weasley says warmly pulling me into her arms, "thanks Mrs Weasley." She shakes her head and kisses my forehead, "try and enjoy yourself." I nod. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

On the train back to Hogwarts I couldn't find Daphne and so I stayed with the twins, I slept against Fred as he and George talked business, apparently Hermione was mad at them because they had been testing their products on first years in the Gryffindor common room. I mean I understood her point especially because they had not told the first years what eating their tainted candy would trigger. But I wasn't getting involved this was a Gryffindor problem and as a Slytherin I was happy to sit it out. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Daphne!" I'm nervous for a second, what if she didn't want to see me? "Lyra?" My fears quickly disappeared after she wrapped her arms around me, "finally! I feel as though I haven't seen you in forever." I grin, "it's not been that long." I say with a slight laugh, "does this mean you didn't miss me?" I shake my head, "of course I did." 

"You seem better." I smile, I felt better I felt content like everything was right for once. I knew it wouldn't last so I was just going to enjoy it for as long as possible. "Oh look the slytherwhore is back." I roll my eyes, was this still a thing? "Say that again." I say turning and glaring at the Ravenclaw girl who stops for a second stunned by my response. "What?" She asks nervously, "say it again, I fucking dare you." I hiss, "n-no I..." 

"You were brave enough to say it the first time so say it again, but so that I can actually hear you." She swallows nervously, "if you have something to say about me, say it to me." I tell her making her nod, "sorry." She says before running off with her friends. "So I see the Lyra I loved and missed is back." Daphne notes smiling as she links arms with me, "yeah she got a bit mopey and heartbroken but I feel like me again." I say smiling back, after losing Cedric I felt so lost, I could barely even recognise myself but I think I was finding myself again.

"I didn't even tell you, Fred and I are going out." Her mouth drops, "no way! So this is why you're all happy? I've been waiting for this day." She beams hugging me making me laugh, "ok calm down." I say making her scoff. "Calm down? Calm down? I've been waiting for this for what feels like decades let me enjoy it." 

"You have to tell me everything." She demands making me smile, "ok, but after dinner I'm really hungry." I also needed time to alter the story in my mind so that I kept Sirius and his house a secret.


	39. THIRTY NINE

School had been quite fun actually, a little stressful but I was actually enjoying myself. I had been studying hard but Fred never let me study too hard, he'd force me to hangout with him so that I wouldn't lose myself in my studying. I was thankful for it because it was good to take a break and let my mind relax, I didn't want to overload on information. We sat in the astronomy tower a lot and had late night picnics or he'd just hold me in his arms as we stargazed. 

Our da meetings had been fun too we were actually working on our patronus's today, and I was excited because I was really intrigued on what mine would be, parronus's were supposed to be based you and your character as a person so I thought it'd be interesting to see. 

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember." I close my eyes, "Allow it to fill you up." I think back to when Cedric had taken me for that picnic, that had been one of my happiest memories. I smile as I remember how we'd waded into the lake, Ced splashing me with water starting a full out war which the two of us both lost. We were drenched by the end but I didn't care because the smile on Cedric's face was worth the world to me. 

I frown slightly when I see the small silvery whisps leave my wand, "that's good Lyra, just keep trying you'll get there." I smile at Harry and nod, feeling a bit disappointed in myself, but at least it no longer hurt to think of Cedric. Fred catches my eye from beside George, he send me a questioning look to ask if I was ok, I nod reassuringly because I was, I just needed to think of something happier. 

I glance back at Daphne from beside me, "Expecto Patronum." A beautiful white swan comes floating from her wand, I smile as it circles me, "it's beautiful." I say in wonder as she giggles excitedly, "it is." 

"A full-bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce... but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents. Just remember, your Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused." 

"Try again." Daphne says encouragingly but I was afraid that maybe I didn't have a happy enough memory for this to work. I close my eyes once more, I feel a smile spread on my face as I think back to the Christmas we had just celebrated. That was bound to work there was nothing that compared to the joy I felt that I day. 

"Lyra!" I open my eyes at Daphne's gasp, a white stallion shoots from my wand making everyone else jump out of the way as it runs through the room. My laughter stops once it knocks poor Neville down, the horse disappears as my concentration is broken and I run over to help the boy up. "I'm sorry Neville." I say making him smile shyly, "it's alright, that was really cool." I smile, "thank you. I can't wait to see how cool yours is." 

"That was brilliant Lyra!" Harry grins as I make my way back over to Daphne, "my girlfriend ladies and gentlemen." Fred says making me laugh, "so what did you think of?" He asks making me shrug, "I don't know if I should tell you that." He pulls me closer, "come on I'm your boyfriend." He says, "so?" 

"So?" He asks as though he can barely believe what I had said, "does that mean nothing to you?" I giggle, "you're so dramatic I don't know how I handle it." 

"Ok I'll tell you." I say after a second of his expectant looks, "Christmas." He smiles slightly, "the one that just past?" I nod making his smile grow. But before either of us can say anything the whole room shakes, we all stop what we're doing and look towards the mirrored walls which shatter and fall to the ground. Fred grabs onto my arm and pulls me behind him as we all grow increasingly nervous. 

Then suddenly the whole wall is blown out, my heart drops as we see the toad emerge from the rubble, her inquisitorial squad surrounding her. Cho Chang in Draco's hold, the two of our faces drop as we make eye contact. "Get them." We're all grabbed and pulled along harshly. Unfortunately cho had snitched on us all and so we'd all be serving umbridges lovely detention something I had not missed at all. 

"Miss Malfoy I'm so disappointed you had been doing so well." I refrain from rolling my eyes, "I don't think your father would be too pleased to hear about this." She says in the most annoying tone of voice I have ever heard in my whole entire life. "Well then I guess it's a good thing that I don't give a shit about what pleases Lucius Malfoy isn't it?" It's just so hard not to respond to her. She was so infuriating. 

"Language Miss Malfoy we don't want to add to your detentions do we?" Just as I'm about to respond Daphne pinches my arm making me bite down on my tongue and shake my head, "that's what I thought." She smirks smugly making me want to reply but as though she can sense it Daphne pinches me again. I turn to her as Umbridge walks away. "That hurt." I say rubbing my arm, "well it probably feels like nothing compared to her torture quill." I nod, "thank you." I say sending her a grateful smile, I'm so glad I had Daphne in my life. I don't know what I would've done without her.


	40. FORTY

Detention was horrendous I'd actually forgotten how painful the blood quills truly were and as I looked at all the younger children who joined me in writing these lines I frowned, if I could've taken the punishment for them all I would've. Unfortunately there were too many of us and so I couldn't, all I could do was suffer alongside them. 

I glare at umbridge as she sits before us all in the hall, she sipping on her tea a disgusting smile on her face, if I could I would've wiped that smile off of her face. She was somehow headmistress now, Dumbledore having fled after they tried to arrest him. Her eyes landed on me and so I pushed myself to write more than I could handle, I kept my glare as her smile dropped slightly until she saw my hand pouring with blood, it was seeping into the parchment smudging the neat words that I had written with difficulty. Her smile returns even bigger if possible before she clears her throat. 

I hated the way she cleared her throat so forcefully every five minutes, I swear it was taking everything in me to stop myself from punching her in the throat and asking if it was finally clear. "Miss Malfoy, you may leave for today." Almost everyone has stopped writing and is looking between us. I haven't said anything yet my glare not easing up on her, 'don't provoke her it's what she wants' I remind myself as she looks at me expectantly. 

"Unless you would rather stay?" I clench my jaw as a response she certainly wouldn't like makes it's way to my mind. "Just go quietly Lyra." I relax myself and shake my head at her as Fred whispers to me, "no miss." I say collecting my bag, "hem hem." I roll my eyes as I turn back to her, she looks at me expectantly and I just give her a blank look back. 

"Hem hem." I didn't know what she wanted from me, I wasn't a bloody mind reader, "it seems as though there's something stuck in your throat miss, you might want to get that checked out." I suggest making her face flush red as I bite back my laughter and hurriedly leave the hall.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I wait outside the hall for everyone else to leave, "I'm going to kill her." I tell Fred who smiles amused as he takes my hand, there was rule that boys and girls couldn't be within eight inches of each other but that was ridiculous I wasn't going to listen to her dumb rules. 

"Join the que." He says, "how's your hand? It was bleeding quite badly." He says lifting it so that he could inspect it. "Fine, I think I'm getting used to it." I shrug making him frown, "how's yours?" I ask, "hurts a bit I guess." I press a kiss to the back of his hand making him grin. "You know my lips were hurting a bit too if you wanted to kiss them better." He smirks making me laugh. "Sure, we wouldn't want you in pain now would we?" 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I'm on my way to the dungeon when I see and young girl crying. I look around to see that we were alone, "hello?" I say hesitantly "are you ok?" She looks up and quickly wipes her eyes. "I'm fine." She tells me weakly, I hesitantly sit beside her. "Are you sure?" She doesn't say anything for a minute but then she shakes her head. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask her gently, "do you want me to find your friends?" She shakes her head, "I don't have any." I frown, "you have one now." She looks at me and smiles unsurely, "really?" I nod and hold my hand out, "I'm Lyra, your new friend." 

"I know who you are. Almost everyone does, your arguments with umbridge are legendary and you're going out with one of the Weasley twins aren't you?" I smile at her excitement, "yeah, did you have a name?" She blushes, "yeah sorry, I'm Olivia." I nod before realising the time, "oh we better get back to the dungeon before curfew, trust me you don't want a detention with that awful toad." She giggles until we hear the famous hem hem. 

I turn to see my most favourite Professor stood behind us. "What are the two of you doing out so late?" She asks in her shrill voice, I notice Olivia's eyes widen in fear, "we were just returning from the library." I say not calmly, "what were you doing in the library?" My eyebrows furrow what type of dumb question was that? "Studying? The newts are approaching soon and I just wanted to go over some things." She nods, "ah yes, very well but she does not have her newts so what was she doing?" I shield the younger girl slightly. "You don't need to have examinations to study do you professor? Because I thought you wanted everyone to do well in their classes?" Her face hardens at my challenging tone but she nods. 

"Yes well I suppose she does need it greatly if she wants to start passing her classes." She says glaring darkly at us, "now get to your rooms at once before I decide to give you a detention." I don't waste anytime in grabbing Olivia's arm and pulling her along with me away from Umbridge as fast as possible.

"That was really cool." Olivia praises once we get back to the Slytherin common room. "It was nothing, don't let her get to you, I don't think she even knows what she's on about half the time." We find a corner to sit, "what did she mean if you want to start passing classes?" Olivia frowns, "that's why I was crying, I'm failing everything and my parents are so mad, I'm too scared to go home if my grades don't improve but I'm trying my hardest." I frown seeing the hurt on her face, I remember how once upon a time it had been me sat there crying alone because of my family. 

"I'll help you, if you want?" I offer not wanting anyone to have to feel that way, "you will?" She asks, "we can meet twice a week if that works for you?" She beams at me and jumps onto me wrapping her arms around me. "Thank you so much?" I laugh, "it's alright, we're gonna turn you into an all Os student."


	41. FORTY ONE

I literally spent all of my time studying, if I wasn't helping Olivia it was just me stressing about the newts, they were called the nastily exhausting wizarding exams for a reason. Fred and George had opted not to take them and I was starting to wish I had been as smart as them. The only difference was they had a plan of action for what they wanted in the a future, their shop was going to be huge I'm sure of it. They were already making money from it now at hogwarts and everyone loved their crazy ideas. 

I wasn't really supposed to have a job in the future, other than be a housewife to whichever pure blood my parents chose for me to marry. It was supposed to be Adrian but that didn't quite work out not that I was complaining. I was much happier now, I was free to be whoever I wanted and whatever I wanted and it turned out I really liked helping people so being a healer sounded the best for me. 

I didn't want to be an auror and spend the rest of my life fighting, I just wanted to help in ways that nobody had ever expected of me, I wanted to do whatever I could to distance myself from the way people believed me to be, away from my family's reputation.

"Lyra!" I jump from my book as someone yells my name,  
"Olivia, shh." I smile noting the way madam pince was glaring at us. "Lyra, I did it! I got an e on my essay." I beam at her pride and excitement. "You did? That's amazing Olivia I'm so proud of you." I say sincerely, "thank you so much, Lyra my parents are so happy with me and it's all thanks to you." I shake my head, "it's all thanks to you smarty pants, now come to me whenever you need help yeah?" She nods with a grin, "yeah, also I took your advise and Mary invited me to sit with them at lunch." 

"That's great! Have fun." I encourage glad that she was coming out of her shell. "Thank you." She says once more before running from the library. I shake my head before burying my face back into my herbology book. 

"Lyra." I roll my eyes and peel them away from the text I was reading, "yes Fred?" He smiles at me making me smile back I couldn't help it, I just really loved his face especially his smile it lit up the whole room. "We just put a load of nifflers in Umbridges office, so we were with you the whole time ok?" I shake my head with a small laugh, "sure." I say glancing between the two before back to the pages of information that I wasn't a hundred percent certain on. 

"Lyra." I try and ignore Fred whispering over to me as I write my practice answer down furiously trying to get it done within the time limit. "Lyra?" I resist answering and instead try to focus on the question, I couldn't get distracted but this was good practice I guess there was no one who was as distracting as the twins. 

"Oi Fred I don't think she wants to talk to you mate." George says after a moment as he watches his brother continue to try and get my attention. "Hem hem." I glance up with an irritated glare. "What?" I snap making her eyes bulge at me for a second. "Sorry." I say begrudgingly as the twins smirk into their hands. "Where have the three of you been all afternoon?" She asks, "library." I say without missing a beat. "Are you sure?" I nod and hold my book out towards her, "you can check Miss I've been keeping a detailed time log so that I know which questions I'm not answering fast enough." I say confidently as she eyes it in surprise. "Oh...alright and the twins have been with you? I don't see any of their work." 

"They've been helping me." I say calmly with a small shrug as her eyes narrow and she inspects us. "You see miss, I like to think that I'm a good boyfriend who helps his girlfriend when she needs it, even with something as dull as studying." Fred says throwing an arm around me making the toad then turn to George. "I like third wheeling I guess?" He shrugs making me snort which then makes Fred laugh. 

"Why are you asking Miss is something wrong?" I ask in faux confusion and concern. "No, not at all." She way too quickly. "Very well continue studying but remember eight inches apart." She glares at Fred's arm around me, as soon as he removes it she humphs and sashays away. 

"Lyra." He moans once he sees me go back to my work. "Fred." I imitate turning to him, "George." We both turn to George who shrugs, "I felt left out." I laugh, "if you're bored converse with each other." I say before my book is suddenly ripped from my grasp. "Fred!" I whisper shout over at him as he smirks and holds it away from me. "Fred I need to study." He shakes his head and nods to George who grabs the rest of my stuff. "Come on George not you as well." He shrugs and sends me a wink. 

"You guys I've got to study until I'm sure I'm ready, my herbology exam is tomorrow." I tell them but they don't ease up. "You're ready." I shake my head. "You don't know that." They smile, "we do." I just glance between them not knowing what to say. "Look Lyra we're doing this because we care." My eyes narrow, "yeah if you study any longer you're going to melt your brain and I'm sure Fred doesn't want a brainless girlfriend." I sigh as Fred shrugs, "I mean, I don't know Lyra is..." He trails off as he notices the way I look over at him.

"Ok just hang on one second." I look between them as they whisper, "ok then Lyra describe the appearance, diet and uses of the Venomous Tentacula." George says reading from the practice questions I had. 

"Um, The Venomous Tentacula is a giant eyeless head with fangs, though the shape of its mouth tends to vary, along with many leaves surrounding it. These leaves are green and have stinging nettles. It also has many large vines for appendage, which may or may not also have separate heads of their own at the ends. And uh it expels venom from its shoots, and its spikes are deadly. Its bite is highly venomous and can easily stun or kill. Its juice is also a poison which is colourless and non lethal but when ingested causes those who drink it to have a burning sensation inside them, and will turn their skin bright purple in colour. And oh the leaves are also highly valuable potion ingredients. Also Occasionally, aside from biting, some forms of the plant can also fire spiky spore-like balls from their mouths at their targets." 

I stop for a minute and rack my brain for more about the plant. "And they eat Chizpurfles, Doxies and Humans. They can be used as weapons...in potions or even as pets." I finish satisfied I have covered everything. "What textbook did you swallow?" They ask making me laugh, "so I got everything?" Fred smiles and leans forward to kiss me quickly. "You got more than you needed smarty pants." 

"Yeah you're ready." They decide before pulling me up, "hey! Where are we going?" I ask as they pull me along, "to get you to relax, you need to have some fun." I scoff, "we're going to let you pick someone and we'll prank them." I actually grin now excited. "Really?" I ask eager I loved Fred and George's pranks I had always wanted to be in on one. "Of course, now who's the lucky person?" I grin, "Snape." I say without a second of hesitation, they smirk. 

We get ready and position ourselves outside of the potions room, "ready?" I nod, and lift my wand through the small crack in the door, I quietly murmur the spell under my breath my eyes widening in joy once I see it work. The twins and I can't help the soft laughter at seeing snapes greasy midnight black hair switch to a vibrant pink. His face scrunches in confusion and he stands making his way to the mirror he had. Fred quickly covers my mouth as I let out loud laughter at Snapes reaction but he was too late we'd been heard. 

Snape's now hot pink hair whips around his face as he turns to the door faster than I'd ever seen before, I quickly slam the door shut as the twins throw stink pellets in and mutter a locking charm before Fred grabs me, throws me over his shoulder and sprints away as the three of us laugh madly.


	42. FORTY TWO

"What did you put for question ten?" My eyebrows furrow as we leave the hall, Daphne and I had completed almost all of our newts now. "Um ten? The severing charm I think." Daphne's eyes widen and she snaps her hand over her mouth, "oh no you're right, I've failed." I smile slightly and link our arms, "you haven't failed, it may have just been one mistake." I try and assure her, "ok what did you get for-" 

"Daphne let's not dissect the exam please, it was annoying enough to sit once, besides what's done is done now you can't change anything and it won't make you feel better." She sighs, "you're right, what can we do that'll take my mind off it." Before I can answer the twins come running past us. "What did you do?" I ask already knowing by the looks on their faces. "No time to tell you." George says not even slowing his pace. "she's chasing us, so you haven't seen us." Fred says stopping to kiss my cheek a second before they both disappear. 

Daphne and I share a glance as Umbridge and Filch come running up to us. "Where are they?" She screeches through a pant, "I um, where are who?" I ask as Daphne also feigns confusion, "you know." I shake my head, "Miss we're not mind readers." Daphne says making her scowl at us. "The twins, have you seen them?" We shake our heads. "Don't lie!" Umbridge snaps her voice breaking, "well we have seen them." I start, "yes?" She asks eagerly. "But not today of course." Her face drops at Daphne's words. 

"Oh wait actually I think they did just run past." I say making her stop as she was just about to go in the direction that they had. "You did?" She asks excitedly, "oh yes actually." Daphne says making her glance at us expectantly as we remain silent. "Well?" I fake confusion, "well what?" Her toadish eyes bulge. "Which way did they go?" Daphne and I glance at each other and smirk, "that way." We both say pointing in different directions. "They split up?" We shake our heads, "oh no sorry they ran off very much together, must've been this way." We say switching the directions we had been pointing in, "or maybe it was that way." We say switching to the directions we had originally pointed in, making her face swell as it floods red. 

"Useless! Absolutely useless! The two of you are no help whatsoever! I don't have time for this I will have to deal with them later! And the two of you get to class!" She heaves before storming off with me Filch as she has to get the hall ready for the fifth years owls. We laugh when we're sure that she's gone. "Her face was priceless." Daphne giggles. "That was brilliant!" We turn to see Harry Ron and Hermione stood behind us. "Very clever." Hermione praises, "her face was bloody hilarious." Ron chimes, "do you know what your brothers did?" I ask wondering why she had chased them so urgently. "We set off a portable swamp." I jump as they appear behind us. "A portable swamp?" Daphne asks in interest. 

"Should've pushed her in it." We say in unison laughing once we realise we'd said the same thing. "Dont you guys have an exam to be getting to?" I ask the three younger students making Hermione's eyes widen. "Yes we do thank you!" She says before pulling the boys along with her. 

"Speaking of exams how did yours go?" George asks, "not great." Daphne says absentmindedly, "who was talking to you?" I smile as I look between them, George smirks finally using Daphne's line back on her, enjoying how her face flushes. "I uh-" George laughs, "I'm just kidding what went wrong?" Fred and I share a glance as they speak. "How didn't you find it?" Fred asks me making me shrug, "ok I guess, I forgot a dee things and had to guess but I think I did ok." I had worked hard for all the exams that I had done so I had to have faith in myself whatever happened, happened, there was nothing I could do now. 

"I'm sure you did great." He grins, "I hope." He slings an arm around me, "I know you did, after all that work you put into it, it'd be impossible for you not to get all O's." I smile at his encouragement, "well don't jinx me I've still got my potions next week, it's like they saved the worst till last." He shrugs, "you're good at potions though." He assures me, "yeah when you're not blowing them up." He laughs, "that was only like three times get over it." I push him slightly, "you burned my eyebrows off." I say making him laugh harder at the memory. "Well they grew back didn't they?" I shake my head with a smile, "luckily for you." 

"Fred it's time." George says after checking the time, "time for what?" I question confused, "we have a little leaving surprise planned for the headmistress." My eyebrows furrow, "you're leaving already?" Fred had already told me of their plan to leave Hogwarts early especially since the toad was headmistress but I wasn't expecting it to be so soon. "Better late than never, plus we've got the shop all set up now." I nod, "well then, good luck." I smile seeing their excitement. "Don't need it but thank you." I laugh, "come and watch the show." They say as they get their brooms ready Daphne and I look at each other and nod.

"See you soon." Fred says kissing me, "see you soon." I say before he mounts his broom, they burst into the hall and disrupt the exam by throwing their magical fireworks all around. It was pretty fantastic to watch everyone was laughing and having fun everyone except umbridge who looked afraid and overwhelmed with all the chaos. I can't help the loud loud laughter when they set a firework dragon on her. She runs her eyes wide and afraid as we all laugh our heads off, she totally deserved this. The best part was when the dragon devoured her. 

"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Professor Umbridge as he and George flew over her and towards the door, "Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George as they lead the students outside. Fred looked around at the assembled students, and at the silent, watchful crowd.  
"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated up- stairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wiz- arding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge, the twins throw a few more fireworks and Fred winks at me as the crowd erupt into loud cheers and they fly away out of school forever.


	43. FORTY THREE

"Your boyfriend and his brother are crazy." Daphne says as we begin to walk back down towards the dungeons after the whole ordeal, "I know, but speaking of his brother, you like George?" I question a smug smile on my face as hers heats up. "No don't be ridiculous." I nod not removing the smile from my face causing her to grow frustrated. "Shut up Lyra. I don't!" She continues, "I didn't say anything." I laugh as she shoves me. "Oh so you don't like when the tables have turned do you?" She rolled her eyes. "Ok sure George is funny handsome and really nice to talk to but that doesn't mean that I like him." I may have believed her if there wasn't red creeping up her neck. "Sure." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Miss Malfoy come with me." I share a confused look with Daphne as Professor Snape has come to collect me from the common room, "just Miss Malfoy." He drawls glaring at Daphne as she stands, she sends me a look but I shrug and follow after him. 

"What's wrong Professor?" He hadn't found out that it had been me who had changed his hair that one day, "it's about Mr Potter." My eyebrows furrow, "what's wrong with Harry?" I ask really nervous, "he believes that Sirius has been taken prisoner by the dark Lord at the department of mysteries." My eyes widen, "has he?" Snape shake his head, "unfortunately Sirius is fine, but I need you to go and check on Potter and tell him that." I nod, "he was last in Professor Umbridge's office." I run for the office only to find the inquisitorial squad not looking the best, they'd eaten some puking pastilles. "What's going on?" I ask my brother who is fine, "potter and his friends." I shake my head and hand the puking kids the antidote half of the sweet that I had on me, I would've left them the way that they were but I needed them gone. 

"Where are they?" Draco eyes me suspiciously for a second, "They ran off." He shrugs unbothered, "go and tell snape." He smirks at the thought of getting them into trouble, "and you guys go clean yourself up." I say to the others I sigh once I'm left alone in the office. They hadn't gone of the ministry had they? 

I eye the fireplace for a second, this was the only open network to travel by floo powder so if I was going to go I had to do so now. With another sigh I take a handful of the powder and throw it into the fire, "the ministry of magic." I say clearly stepping into the flames. 

I feel a chill as I arrive at the ministry and move in search for the school kids, my mouth drops in horror when I find them, Harry was face to face with my dad whilst the others had been grabbed by death eaters wands to their necks. I had to play this smart, I couldn't go charging in with my wand blazing because I was very heavily outnumbered and everyone else was at risk. I just had to make sure that they weren't harmed no matter what.

"Stop!" I say jumping down, "Lyra?" Father asks shocked to see me, "let them go." I glare making him shake his head, "in exchange for the prophecy." I glance at Harry as I join him in standing before my father. I see that he was clutching a crystal ball tightly, "don't do it Harry." Neville says making my aunt Bellatrix dig her wand into his neck, "just don't hurt them." I say making my father smirk as Bellatrix cackles. "Join us Lyra." I shake my head. "No." I say in a hard tone. 

"If you join us I assure you they will leave here unharmed." I pause for a second making my father grin, "now come on sweetheart we don't want to hurt anyone." I look at all the scared kids cowering in the death eaters arms, "all of them?" I ask making him nod, " I promise you." I scoff in my mind, "let them go first." Now it's his turn to hesitate. "You said that you don't want to hurt anyone." I challenge knowing that he was so full of shit. 

"Lyra no." Harry whispers to me, "it's going to be ok Harry." I assure him, I just had to stall for a bit longer the rest of the order should be here soon, I prayed that they'd be here soon. "Lyra darling, I'm your father I just want what's best for you." I shake my head, "I don't want to be a deatheater, that's not what's best for me." Oh my god where was everyone? "Lucius get rid of her." Bellatrix hisses making father glare at her. 

"I will be taking you back with Prophecy." He says, "if not you're little friends-" my eyes widen as the death eaters ready their wands, "crucio!" Neville falls to the ground screaming in pain as Bellatrix laughs over him, "stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!" I scream not even a second after she says the spell. "Fine! I said fine I'll come with you, just leave them alone." I beg tears in my eyes as I watch Neville sob on the ground. "Leave them alone." I beg and my father nods as Harry passes the prophecy over. "Now you." He says holding his hand out, "let them go." I demand, he sighs and shakes his head. "You first." I sigh and allow him to grab my arm as the tears run down my cheeks.

Before he can react theres a flash of white. He turns to see what had caused it making me turn with him as he holds onto me very tightly. I grin in relief once I see it's Sirius, "get away from my godson." He says before throwing a punch at my fathers face. He grabs onto me as my father goes down and winks, "told you I wouldn't let him get you trouble." He says making me grin, "now help the others get out of here." He instructs kissing me on the forehead as I nod before leaving him and Harry to grab the others so that I could get them out of there. 

I quickly grab onto Ginny and pull her down as a death eater aims for her, I quickly blast him before turning to her, "you ok?" I ask as she nods, "yes thanks, you?" I nod too. "Fine." I say before I see my aunt Bellatrix stood before us. "Go." I say pushing Ginny behind me as I hold my wand up. "Is this the way to greet aunty Bella?" She asks in a taunting tone as she cackles making me shiver. 

"Come with us." She says staking closer as I raise my wand, "never." I hiss before throwing a spell at her. "Oh so you want to play do you niece? Let's play." She says before duelling with me, I begin to panic a bit as I block her spells, I didn't know if I could keep up with her. I breath out relieved once I send her flying. I turn my head to see Sirius give my father the same fate, seeing him fly across the room makes me laugh catching Sirius attention, he winks at me before turning to Harry when he's suddenly struck by a spell. 

I turn my head to see it was Bellatrix, "NO!" I scream catching his eyes before he falls back into the veil, floating up and away until he's gone. "No!" I scream out again, laughter reaches my ears and my body begins burning with rage as all I see is red. I turn to glare at my aunt before running and tackling her to the ground. "What did you do!" I scream as she laughs. "What did you do!" I repeat, "I killed Sirius black." I grip onto her tighter, "I'm going to kill you." I seethe making her grin. "You don't have your wand." I must've dropped it when I tackled her. "I don't need my wand, I'm going to fucking kill you with my bare hands." I say slamming her head into the ground making her smile drop. I focus on keeping her pinned as she begins to squirm trying to get out of my grip. 

"Stupefy." She had managed to grasp her wand, I fall to the side only able to watch as she gets up and runs, Harry going after her. "Lyra, Lyra are you alright?" Remus asks running over to check on me, "I'm fine." I pant allowing him to help me up. I look up at his face before I burst into tears, "it's my fault." I cry making his face fall, "it's all my fault." He shakes his head and pulls me into his chest, "it's not your fault." He tries to assure me as he tries to keep himself from crying too. It doesn't work because I knew that it was. I had been the one who'd been duelling Bellatrix I should've have taken my eyes off her not even for a second. She had killed Sirius but I was the one who had let her.


	44. FORTY FOUR

After the whole fight it was really awkward to watch my dad get arrested not that he didn't deserve it but it was just uncomfortable to watch since he was staring me down the whole time. 

"Are you ok?" I ask Neville as he holds his nose which was gushing with blood. He tries to reply but it comes out muffled and unintelligible but it sounded like he was saying that it was broken and so I pull his hands away gently, " here, let me see." I say lifting his chin and softly checking his nose to see that it was indeed broken. "Just one second, I'll fix it." I lift wand and hold it in front of his broken nose. "Episkey." There's a crack but then his nose is fixed, "thanks." He says as I clean the blood away. "I'm really sorry." I tell him quietly making him look to me confused, "why?" He asks, "for letting you get hurt." He shakes his head, "that wasn't your fault." It sure felt like it was. "You're really strong and brave Neville, you should be really proud of yourself." I tell him after a second knowing how he doubted himself and how he shouldn't do so. He blushes slightly and nods, "thank you." I shake my head, "I mean it."

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We had all been escorted back to school and we were all waiting in the hospital wing for everyone to be checked over. Unfortunately Umbridge was there too Dumbledore had saved her from centaurs or something I wished that he'd just left her in the forest but at least he was headmaster again and she'd be leaving no doubt. "Were you really going to go with him?" I look up from where I'd been staring at the ground to see Ron, Harry and Hermione staring at me inquisitively. "If it meant that you'd be safe then yes I would've." I tell them softly just wanting to be able to go home. My heart hurt, home, I'd gotten so used to calling 12 Grimmauld palace home. But I wouldn't want to go back there not without Sirius, my eyes burn and I try to blink the tears away. I didn't want to think of that right now because I just felt if I started crying I wouldn't stop, and I just wanted to at least cry in privacy not in the hospital wing in front of everyone. 

"Lyra!" I look up to see Daphne running at full speed towards us, "what happened? You all just disappeared, are you ok?" She asks looking at how all of us were battered. My eyes blur as I think back on the whole thing not knowing how to even begin to explain it to her. She notices and wraps her arms around me, letting me sniffle as she held me. I was so thankful for her but I really just wanted Sirius or Fred but neither were here at the moment, I began crying harder knowing that Sirius would never be there for me again. I had become so attached to him, I went to him for everything big or small and now he was gone for good and I didn't think I could handle it especially knowing that it was mine and my family's fault. 

"Lyra, it's ok, everything's going to be alright ." She assures me rubbing my back but it wasn't alright how could it be? 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I had avoided the others for the next week, it was quite easy to do so blaming it on stress for my last newt exam, potions, it was really out of guilt though, I couldn't bare to look at Harry knowing how much he cared for Sirius and how he was one of the limited family members Harry had left. They were going to live together, they had wanted to be a proper family and now they couldn't because of me. I had gotten him killed just like I had dreamt all those months ago. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Draco." I see him crying, "father- I hug him, "I know." I tell him gently knowing how after everything he still loved him. "Draco, come and live with me." I say making his brows furrow, "what? Lyra why can't you just come home?" I shake my head, "I just can't Draco but I can't leave you there, please Draco I'm begging you, last year I let you go but I can't not this year. Bad things are going to happen Draco and I don't want you caught up in it, just please come and stay with me, please." He looks at me conflicted, "but mother and father-" 

"Draco, listen to me not everything mum and dad told us is right, they're our parents I know and they may love us in their way but they are not good people Draco. And being a death eater isn't what father made it out to be, just please you're better than that, we are not our parents. We are Lyra and Draco not Narcissa and Lucius, we can be better." He looks unsure in my words. "But I can't leave mother alone." I shake my head. "She's not alone she has her sister, they've taken refuge in each other so it's ok you can take refuge in your sister." I'm close to tears, Sirius had told me how he'd wished he could've saved his younger brother from his parents and now here I was in the same position trying my hardest but I understood his hesitation I was asking him to go against everything we had been raised with and whilst it may have been easier for me he was finding it hard because he had always believed everything our parents had ever told him. He had always been the doted on son, he was spoiled and it was easy for him not to notice the wrongdoings going on around him. 

"I- I can't Lyra." I sigh as I look at the pain on his face, "Draco if you do this... I may not be able to help you when you need me to." His face falls, "I love you Draco I always will but as much as I'll want to there is a chance I won't be able to. I don't think you're fully understanding the severity of things." I say making him go quiet. 

We stand there staring at each other in remorse for a second, before I move forwards and pull him into my arms. "Like I said, I'll always love you and I'll always try to help you to the best of my ability. And if you change your mind, which I really really hope that you do then there's always a place for you with me." I tell him as he sighs and holds me tightly soft sniffs leaving him as he tries to not cry.


	45. FORTY FIVE

We were leaving, like really leaving hogwarts for good. It was the final feast we'd ever go to and that actually hit me like a ton of bricks, I saw a lot of the other seventh years emotional faces as they hugged their friends it was pretty emotional this had been our home for the last seven years, I'd seen most of these people daily and whilst I may have not been the closet with them it was strange to be moving onto a new chapter of our lives and to think I wouldn't see them everyday anymore. I lift my hand to behind my ear where I knew my lotus flower sat and I smile as I remember to appreciate and embrace new beginnings they could bring some of the best things in life your way. 

"Hey!" I laugh as Morgan throws some mashed potato at Daphne which splats on her face. "Morgan I swear to Merlin of all the things you've done in the past seven years this has to be the worst." She glares in a joking way I shake my head as I watch them go back and forth. Morgan and Daphne had a love hate relationship they often hurled insults at each other but neither meant them, they were just joking because that's how they showed their love to each other. All five of us were sat together today, we did used to sit together a lot but not all the time, we had been one really close friend group back in first year but in third year I kind of drifted from them I can't really even remember why. 

We had stayed friendly sharing a room and all but we'd never gotten as close as we used to be, Daphne being the only exception. "Daphne!" She smiles at me guiltily as her food lands of me, Morgan and the others bursting into loud laughter. "Sorry?" She says not sounding sorry at all. I grin as the food changes to the desserts and grab a small pie covered in cream. "Sorry?" I repeat once it lands on her face she laughs really loudly, "ok you're gonna get it now." She says reaching for the closest thing in front of her. Pudding begins to fall from my face as I throw something else in her direction my eyes widen slightly once it over shoots and lands on someone else. "Sorry!" Adrian laughs and looks at the custard dripping from him as he retaliates with throwing a cake in my direction. 

Soon we've kinda escalated the food fight from the Slytherin table to the whole hall everyone a laughing mess as the teachers try to get us to stop. The only one who wasn't was Dumbledore and I swear I saw him throw a tart at McGonagall when her back was turned.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Everyone had been sent away to clean themselves up before we leave and with a ton of time to spare I found myself in my favourite spot. "Hey Harry." I say softly as he joins me. He sits beside me quietly as we stare out at the view that I wouldn't get to see ever again. "Have you been crying?" He asks after a second making me smile sheepishly as I wipe my eyes. "Well this is my favourite spot to sit and cry in so it's only fitting I cry here one last time." I say making him nod with a bit of a smile. "This is where we spoke for the first time." He says making me smile, "I remember, this place has some of my fondest memories." I tell him making him smile at me. 

"You were the only person nice to me then, the only one who believed me. Thank you." I shake my head, "no thanks necessary." I shrug before we sit quietly again. "I'm sorry." I say after a second not really knowing how to bring it up. "It's not your fault." I don't say anything but I disagree. "It's not." He persists at my silence, "it is Harry." I say making him shake his head, "don't blame yourself he wouldn't want that, it was Bellatrix's fault." Harry looks a bit teary so I wrap and arm around him. 

"We were gonna be a family." He cries into my shoulder, I frown and hold him closer to me wanting to ease his pain, it was like he lost someone every year and that wasn't fair to him, why couldn't he ever just catch a break? There's nothing that I can say that would ease his pain I knew that, so I just stayed with him and let him cry into me just so he didn't feel so alone. "It's ok Harry, it's ok." I whisper stroking the back of his hair as he holds me tightly. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Can you believe we're really never going to be back here again?" Daphne asks as we stand staring at Hogwarts for one last time, we'd takes the boats that carried us across when we first arrived in first year and it was a pretty emotional ride. "It's crazy, I'm gonna miss it." I say as she slips her arm through mine. "I'm not going to miss Morgan's snoring though." she says making me laugh as Morgan scoffs from beside us, "like you can talk Daphne if anything I think we'd be more glad to get away from your sleep talking." Daphne looks appalled, "I don't sleep talk!" She says adamantly. "You do." The other four of us say in unison making her jaw drop. "Why did no one tell me?" We laugh slightly, "we thought you knew." Sophia shrugs, "besides you say some really interesting things in your sleep, we didn't want that to stop." Kat adds making me laugh as I think of some of the most ridiculous things we'd heard Daphne say. "Oh shove off the lot of you." 

Before we can continue the conversation we hear the sound of the train meaning it was time to go. I glance back at the castle one last time before letting out a breath and leaving, "bye Hogwarts." I say before joining the girls at the train, I was gonna miss this place but it was time to move on, I touch behind my ear once more feeling content, to new beginnings.


	46. FORTY SIX

"So this is it." The five of us look at each other with tears in our eyes once the train has stopped, "you think id be glad to be finally be rid of you guys after seven years stuck seeing you whenever I woke up or went to bed. Which trust me wasn't always a pretty sight." Daphne breaks the silence making us laugh, "I know we didn't remain the closest but stay in touch?" Kat offers the others nodding eagerly. "Of course." We then share a group hug. "This is so weird." I say as we laugh, "I'm gonna miss you guys." Sophia says breaking down making us all frown, "Sophia, we can still hang out and stuff." We try and make her feel better but Morgan then joins in with the tears, Kat soon after her. "Guys come on." Daphne says before she too joins them. 

"You guys! Don't cry we're going to have such a blast with whatever we're gonna do next." I say trying to be optimistic, "are you not going to miss us?" They ask, "are you not going to miss asking Morgan and Kat to shut up when they won't stop their whispering at night." My brows furrow, "or when Sophia would tumble off her bed waking us all frequently." I smile slightly as I feel the tears form, "or how we'd all sit and laugh as Daphne spewed her gibberish into the night." Ok they got to me, I too begin crying as we all hug each other once more. "I'm still mad that I'm just finding out about this sleep talk thing." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra." I scowl and pull my arm from the person who had grabbed it, "don't touch me." I spit harshly making her face fall, "Lyra? I thought that now your father was gone you'd want to-" I don't let her continue speaking, "well you thought wrong I don't want anything to do with either of you." I tell her venomously as she looks at me in confusion. "What's wrong dear?" I glare hard at my mother, "you are what's wrong. All this time I thought you were different, I thought that you were better than father was but mother you are just as bad as he is, if not worse. I was blinded by your love to see it but you- you're despicable and I hate you." Her eyes tear up as I seethe at her but I didn't care. "I-I don't understand-" 

"Do not play dumb with me, you know what you did, you helped... you helped them, you had a part to play in his death and I will never forgive you for that." She knows that she can't play it off. "Lyra please just come home, you belong with your family." I scoff and let out a humourless laugh, "why can't you understand you're not my family! Not anymore, he was my family and he's gone now because of you, you and your vile sister. I don't want to see you again." I say harshly not caring how her tears fall silently she could cry all she wanted but she was a grown woman who had made her own terrible choices. 

"Lyra?" She pleads grabbing onto me, I was just so glad that Draco wasn't here to witness this. "No!" I snap harshly pulling away from her, "stop making a scene." I say as I notice people watching us. "Is there a problem here?" I'm so glad to see Tonks glaring coldly at my mum from beside me. "No." I say shooting my mother a look, "I'm good to go." I tell her and she grins, "ok let's go then." She says shooting my mother another glare as she wraps an arm around my shoulder. "Lyra please." The hurt on her face makes me hesitate for a second, "you made your choice and I made mine. Bye mother." I say before turning away with Tonks. "You can't get away this easily, we will come for you, you will join us even if we have to go through those you love." My mum whispers into my ear as she grabs me harshly and pulls me into her. I stumble back as she releases me, my eyes wide at what she had just said. 

"Thank you." I say to tonks as she hurriedly pulls me away. "No problem, Sirius said us family disappointments had to stick together didn't he?" I smile feeling my eyes tear up slightly. "Let's get you to the others." 

"Was everything ok?" Mrs Weasley asks looking over at me in concern as we regroup with everyone else, "fine." I murmur still hurting a bit. "She didn't do anything to you did she?" I smile as Mrs Weasley brings me into a hug, "no she just tried to get me to go with her." I say making her frown, "Lyra told her off good and proper though." Tonks says in a proud tone. Remus smiles at me and hands me some chocolate, I take it with a smile, "thank you." He shakes his head and pats my shoulder. 

"You not gonna say hello to us?" I jump as the twins appear behind me, "George!" I say hugging him first making Fred's jaw drop, "Lyra!" He gasps at me making George and I laugh. "What? Come on Fred we all know that George is my favourite twin." George laughs even harder and wraps an arm around my shoulder. "I mean she's been saying this for years Freddie." He says as Fred looks between us. "Why don't you date him then?" George and I look at each other and shrug. "Sure, so George wanna go on a date?" George grins down at me, "absolutely how's tomorrow?" Fred pulls me away from George making the two of us laugh even harder. 

"Stop it." I smile, "it was your idea." He pouts, "we're kidding Fred." I say wrapping my arms around him, "I only want to date you." I say making him smile, "I like the suit, you look very handsome." I tell him as I take in their new green dragon scale suits. Someone clears their throat from behind and we turn to see Adrian looking at us nervously. "Hey Lyra can we talk?" I glance up at Fred to see his face harden as he looks at Adrian. "Oh Adrian hey, um yeah sure we can talk." I say as I look at Fred to make sure that he was ok with it. 

"So what's up?" I ask after we've moved away from the others. "I just wanted to say bye." I nod with a smile, "bye." Adrian and I had been close friends back in first year actually we'd been friends before then, since we were kids. We started dating in third until he cheated on me in our fifth year, to be honest I didn't even care about that anymore. Adrian and I we were stupid kids trying to please their parents when we started dating, the timing was completely off and whilst I may have loved him at one point I didn't, at least not in that way anymore. I think we could both appreciate that things were better for us strictly platonically. 

"Stay in touch?" I smile, "sure." He grins and nods, "and look I know that things didn't work out between us and I'm sorry for that but I'm glad that you're happy with Weasley." He says surprising me after a second. "Thanks and all that other stuff it's in the past." I say, "I do still love you a lot, but you're better with him even a blind man could see it." My eyebrows raise at his sudden confession. "I loved you Adrian I really did, but-" he smiles reassuringly, "I know." He cuts me off. "You'll find someone." I assure him making him shrug. "There's no one who could compare to you but that's not important, you take care now." I nod and wrap my arms around him. "See you around Adrian." I say softly as he holds me to him for just a second longer, "see you around." He murmurs before kissing my head and leaving.

"What did he want?" Fred asks by my side instantly, "to say bye." I shrug, "that's it?" I nod, "he actually told me that he still loves me bu-" my eyes widen as Fred's jaw clenches and he takes a step forward, "but Fred wait!" I say quickly stepping in front of him and grabbing his arms. "He said that I was better with you, that he understands I don't want him and that we're happy." I say hurriedly as I push him backwards to stop him from going after Adrian. 

"He did?" I nod, "yes he was just saying bye." He stops, "sorry I just." I shake my head and kiss him, "it's ok, I think jealousy is kinda cute on you actually." I say making him laugh slightly as he shakes his head. "I can't help it, I just love you too much."


	47. FORTY SEVEN

"Come along dear." Mrs Weasley says after they had all confronted Harry's uncle and aunt so that his summer wouldn't be so horrible with them. "Where are we going?" I ask her confused, "we have to go to 12 Grimmauld place to gather your things and ensure that we haven't left anything important behind and then you can come home with us." I feel my breath catch in my throat I wasn't sure if I was ready to go back to Sirius's house knowing he'd never be there again. "Is something wrong?" Mrs Weasley asks stopping to check that Ik alright. "No nothings wrong, also it's very nice of you to offer your home up to me Mrs Weasley, I appreciate it immensely but my best friend Daphne and I have agreed to move in together so it's quite alright." She looks a bit disheartened by this. 

"Oh that's lovely, have you found a place?" I shake my head as we continue walking, "we haven't looked yet, we just made the decision." She nods with a smile, "oh well you're welcome to stay with us until you find a place." I force a smile as my mother's words ring out in my mind. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"How's paddy?" I ask not really to anyone in particular wondering what had happened to him, "I've been taking care of him." Remus tells me reassuringly making me grin at him, "thanks professor Lupin." He smiles softly as we arrive at the headquarters. "Everyone to your rooms to grab whatever you left." We all separate the ones who hadn't stayed over just checking the house in general. 

I take a deep breath as I enter my room it looked the exact same as it had when I'd left it. I move around and pack my things up halting at my record player, this record hadn't been in use when I had left. I look through the records to see small bits of parchment on each of them holding Sirius's opinion on the songs, I smile as I read through what he had written. Then all the feelings I'd been trying to avoid hit me all at once and I fall to my knees as I sob thinking of Sirius and how I wished he wasn't dead. How I wished he were here and would pop out laughing at me as he assured me that he was fine, and wasn't going to leave for a long time. But he wasn't, he was dead and he was never going to come back, he was never going to tease me again, we were never going to have our late night tea talks, I'd never get to laugh over gossip with him and I hated it more than anything. 

Sirius had really helped me from the moment he stepped into my life, he had become so important to me, he helped me really settle in, he made me feel like I had a family, the family I had always wanted. He acted the way I wished my father would've, he was the best and it wasn't fair that it was him who'd been taken from us, he'd suffered so much lost out on so much on his life only to have it ripped from him when he was finally free. He had deserved better.

"Whoa Lyra, Lyra what's wrong?" Fred asks running over to me as he enters my room, to find me a sobbing mess on the ground, he's dropped to his knees in front of me and has pulled me into his embrace. "Lyra, Lyra it's ok." He assures me as I continue to sob heavily into him, "it- it's not ok, he's gone Fred, he's gone and it hurts so bad." He runs his hands through my hair and tries to soothe me, "it hurts so bad." I whisper out making him sigh and hold me closer as he whispers words of reassurance to me. 

"I need to go." I say suddenly as I quickly get up my mother's words replaying over and over in my mind. "Go? Go where?" He says trying to grab my hand, "I have to go." I repeat hurriedly shoving the last of my things away. "Where?" I don't respond as the tears run down my face I had to leave him, if I wanted to avoid losing anyone else I had to leave. "Jus-just stop for one second and tell me what's going on!" He says pulling me away from my bags to face him. "I have to go." I tell him again as he looks at me in concern. "Go for good?" I nod, feeling my heartbreak at the way his face falls.

"I-I have to Fred for your safety." He scoff and shakes his head, "what are you- that doesn't make any sense." He says in disbelief, "I want you to be safe and to be happy-" He continues looking at me in disbelief, "I'm happy with you!" I take in a breath. "You can be happy without me." I tell him making him look at me as though I've lost my mind, "Lyra what are you talking about! I don't want to be happy without you." 

"I don't want you to get hurt." I tell him, "I'm not going to get hurt!" He says adamantly, "you don't know that!" I cry out, "nobody plans to get hurt Fred, nobody plans to leave." He takes a step closer to me. "I'm not going to leave." I shake my head and take a step back, "I am." 

"Why?" He asks me his voice weak, "because I love you." He shakes his head tears in his eyes, "if you loved me you'd stay." I close my eyes, "it's because I love you that I have to leave." I tell him desperately, "Lyra you're not going anywhere." He says just as desperately. "Please Fred I can't have anything happen to you, I'm not safe, if you stay with me then you're at risk." He shakes his head tears falling, "no, that's not true." 

"Why aren't you listening to me!" I cry out frustrated, "because you're being stupid!" He shouts back, "I'm not being stupid, your well-being is not stupid." He shakes his head as he steps forward and grabs me by the shoulders, "being with you is not going to put me at risk." He tries to assure me but the venomous whisper of my mother disagreed. "You are! She threatened you! She told me they were going to come for me, even if they had to go through my loved ones and I can't risk your life or anyone's else's." 

"Who said all this?" He asks me worriedly as he watches me break down, "my mother, she said they were going to get me." He shakes his head and pulls me into him, "they won't, I'd never let them." I cry harder remembering how Sirius had promised the same. "That's the problem Fred, that's what puts you at risk." I tell him, "I don't care, I don't Lyra you're not leaving me, I won't let you." He says holding onto me tightly as though I were about to slip between his hands. "I don't want to." I admit, "then don't." 

"It's selfish." I try and fight, "then be selfish! I don't care about anything, I'll fight anyone I don't care, but you're not leaving, stop trying to leave me please, I don't care about any risk it's all worth it to be with you, because I love you and when you love someone you don't leave them you stay and you fight together, you get through things together. You can't leave me not when I finally got you." I close my eyes as he leans his forehead on mine, "don't leave me." He begs through tears making me cry, "I'll never." I whisper not wanting to hurt him anymore.


	48. FORTY EIGHT

"Lyra-" I shake my head and wrap his arms back around me, "just wait one more second." He doesn't say anything as I bury my face in his chest, "if I let go of you, you're not gonna suddenly run away are you?" He asks in a half serious way. "I won't." I assure him holding onto him tighter. "You sure?" He's teasing now, "I'm sure." I say with a slight laugh. "Please don't think like that again." He says lifting my chin, "non of us care about potential danger I mean we let Harry stay with us don't we?" I laugh making him grin as he leans down and kisses my forehead.

"So I see the two of you have kissed and made up." We turn to see George stood smirking as he leans against the doorframe. "You heard that?" I ask making him grin, "the real question is who didn't hear that? With the shouting going on it seemed you wanted to get it all the way to the moon." Fred shoots George a look as my face blushes red. "I'm just kidding, it was only me, I wanted to know what was happening, you know since I like to third wheel and all." It was painfully obvious that he was lying to try and spare me the embarrassment but it was too late for that. 

"You know Lyra, I don't say this often but Fred's right and your wrong here. We want you to stay with us, we'll fight for you cause your one of us now, you joined the family and we fight for each other. Plus once you're in you can't get out." He winks making me smile, "honestly you're stuck with us for life now, the only way to get rid of us is death." He says pushing himself from the doorframe as I laugh, "thanks George." He shoots me another wink, "anytime now you guys have got to hurry it up before mums head explodes." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Now I know that it's not what you're used to-" I cut Fred's nervous ramblings off once I see the house, "oh it's wonderful." He looks surprised at the awe on my face, "really? But it's not a big manor." I shake my head at him, "really Fred? You should know that I don't care about any of that by now. Your home is beautiful, it's special, warm and magical. It's where you grew up, it's where you spent some of the best years with your family. I'm sure you have some of your fondest memories here?" He nods with a flicker of a smile as he looks at me. "What?" I ask him slightly nervous by the look in his eye. "You're perfect." I laugh as he grabs my hips and pulls me to him, "I'm not perfect." I say, "to me you are." I smile up at him as I loop my arms around his neck, "you know for someone who failed charms you have quite the talent." He laughs, "I'm a man of many talents love." He says winking at me before leaning down and kissing my neck, I feel him smile against my skin as I giggle. "Fred stop, what if someone comes out." I say, "so?" He asks making me laugh, "so I don't want them to walk out and see us like this." 

"Why?" I blink for a second unable to tell if he was being serious, "because it's embarrassing." He shrugs, "so you think I'm embarrassing." I groan at the smirk on his face, "you're not funny Fred." He kisses my cheek, "on the contrary I'm hilarious darling." I roll my eyes, "sure you are, personally I think George is hilarious." Now it's his turn to roll his eyes over dramatically. "Honestly I'm starting to believe you're using me to get to George." I gasp in mock shock, "how did you figure it out?" He laughs and pulls me along with him towards the burrow, "your ridiculous." He hums as we walk hand in hand, "you love it Weasley." He smiles and stops in his place as he pulls me back into him, "you know I do Malfoy." 

"Can you guys not keep your hands to yourselves for more than a minute?" I jump as George apparates to beside us. "I mean we could but where's the fun in that?" I whack Fred's shoulder as he winks at George who smirks, "you'll know all about it once you finally get a girlfriend." George makes a face as Fred laughs, "leave him alone." I say noticing George's ears turn red. 

"Anyways do you want to come in for a tour of the house or are you happy with the tour of Fred's mouth?" I nod and get out of Fred's arms, "I'll go with the house tour." Fred throws an arm around my shoulder, "are you sure, the tour of my mouth is a good one, I mean you seemed to be enjoying it." I laugh and push him away as I follow after George. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"It's so beautiful." I say once the twins bring me back down to the living room, "really?" They ask me skeptically, "really it's so...warm." They smile as they sit on either side of me. "I can think of a few ways to make you warmer." Fred winks leaning closer to me, "stop." I giggle moving away as George scoffs. "I'm still here you know." I laugh and lean into him, "we know you're our favourite third wheel." He smiles and throws his arm around me. "Well at least I'm the favourite."


	49. FORTY NINE

"Lyra dear you don't have to help so much." Mrs Weasley says smiling softly at me as I help clean up after lunch, "it's alright Mrs Weasley I enjoy helping you, you shouldn't have to do it all alone." She smiles and kisses my cheek before taking the plates from me, "oh if only my children thought the same, now of you go, do something fun." She says shooing me away. 

"What're you all doing?" I ask confused once I make my way outside to see the five Weasley siblings all stood on the grass brooms in hand, "we're going to play quidditch want to join?" I shake my head, "I'm not the best player, I spent more time on studies than quidditch." Bill shakes his head as he comes over, "who cares we'll teach you." Fred makes a face as he watches Bill lead me over to where he and ginny had been stood. "Please play with us we're uneven." I look at Ginny's pleading face and give in, "sure but I'm certain I'll probably worsen your chances." They shrug, "it's just a bit of fun." I smile and nod. Fred George and Ron ready themselves from across the field, Fred had wanted me to be on their team but they'd already decided on Ron before I came out. 

"Ok you ready?" Bill asks I nod with a slightly nervous smile I'd be fine it was just a bit of fun. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra!" Pain spreads throughout my body as I hit the ground harshly. I'd just taken a bludger to the face and merlin those things hurt. "Well done you bloody idiot." I hear Ginny say accompanied by a slap, "ow Ginny it was an accident." 

"Oh merlin I'm so sorry I wasn't aiming for you." I hear Fred first as the others crowd around me, "well then you need to work on your aim because that was terrible." I groan out with a slight laugh before I wince at the pain, "are you ok?" I nod as I force myself up, Fred's warm hands ready to support me instantly. "I think you broke her nose." Bill says as he gently takes my face in his hands and looks it over, Fred scowls at this. "Are you dizzy?" He asks me after fixing my nose and as he helps me stand, "no I'm fine." I say before I stumble, "yeah that's not so fine." He chuckles as he catches me, "let me take you in and make sure you're ok." Fred scoffing now. 

"Yes?" Bill asks his younger brother calmly his arms still wrapped around me, my head spinning making me lean into his hold. "She's my girlfriend I can make sure that she's ok." My eyes begin to droop, my whole body feeling heavy as I hear Bill say something about he was best suited to treat me because he was the oldest, Ginny then joining in telling them both to shut up. "Hey guys she- she's not supposed to be falling asleep is she?" Ron asks nervously interrupting his siblings quarrel. "Lyra? Lyra hey stay awake." I groan my head pounding as Bill gently taps my cheek, "I am awake." I mumble trying to stand up straight, "that's good stay awake yeah?" I nod before just collapsing entirely into him, "Lyra?" His voice comes out muffled as he scoops me up into his arms. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Is she dead?" I can't tell who asked that but I do hear the slap the person receives Ginny was on a roll today. "Don't be so bloody stupid." I grin as I sit up, "you wish." I smirk alerting everyone that I was up, "merlin woman when I said you needed death to escape us I didn't mean it." I laugh as George obstructs my view of the others, "well I didn't bloody ask the bludger to hit me and send me flying from my broom did I?" He makes a face as though he were thinking it over, "that's true you're off the hook for now." I shake my head with a laugh, he was ridiculous. 

"You ok?" Bill asks as he enters the room smiling to see me sat up, I nod, "perfectly fine." I say as he comes over and checks me over anyways. "How do you know to do all this?" I ask as he continues to examine me to ensure he had healed me correctly. "Oh when you want to be a curse breaker you need to learn at least the basics in healing because it's not always pretty." I nod as he lets go of my face and concludes that there was nothing wrong with me. 

I notice Fred still stood in the corner his head down thumb in his mouth as he seemed to be biting his nails. He looked so out of it that I'm not even sure if he'd realised that I was awake. "Well mum wants us to leave you to rest so bye." Bill says pushing me back down after I try to get up. "Bye." The others mumble filing out after him leaving only Fred and I. 

"Fred?" He doesn't reply his head still down, "Fred!" I repeat throwing my pillow at him he jumps as it hits him in the face, "Fred come here." He smiles at me as he shakes himself from his daze. "Come and lie with me." He does so wordlessly, "what's wrong." I ask as he begins running his fingers through my hair, my head resting on his chest. "Nothing." I lift my head for a second to look at him, "I love you." I say simply not wanting to pry. He smiles softly and kissed my forehead, "I love you too." He murmurs as I get comfortable in his arms again.

"You were aiming for Bill weren't you?" I say after a moment, "yes." He answers after a long moment of silence, "why?" I ask looking back up at him with an amused smile, "you know." He grumbles, "you do know that I'm going out with you right?" He rolls his eyes, "he's always flirting with you." I laugh, "no he's not, he's just being nice." Fred rolls his eyes once again, "too nice." 

"He already has a girlfriend Fred." At my words Fred sits up intrigued, "he does who?" I shake my head, "I'm not telling you I'm sworn to secrecy." His eyebrows furrow, "it's not you is it?" I slap his chest, "Fred! Don't be stupid." He laughs, "just tell me." I shake my head with a knowing smile. "No there's a reason he told me and not you, besides I know you're not going to be able to keep your fat mouth shut." 

"Don't be so mean." He says over dramatically making me laugh, "tell me or I'll go and tell everyone that Bill has a girlfriend." I gasp at him, "wow you're gonna be like that are you Weasley?" He winks, "I'm not sleeping with you now." I say pushing him off the sofa laughing as he lands on the ground. "You're in for it now Malfoy." He says before scooping me up and throwing me over his shoulder. 

"Fred!" I laugh clutching onto his torso tightly, "Fred stop it." I shriek as he pretends to drop me, "tell me who Bill's going out with." He says, "why do you care so much?" I ask as I begin to feel a bit dizzy, the blood rushing to my head. "Why did he tell you and not me?" I laugh, "because I'm better than you, I'm not telling you anything Fred I know how to keep a secret." 

"Are you implying that I don't?" He asks in mock offence, "I'm not implying anything we all know that you can't." I laugh as he pretends to drop me again, "take that back." I shake my head as I hold onto him for dear life, "the truth hurts sometimes babe but you should be glad that I'm being truthful with you." 

"Fred can you let me down now I feel a bit-" before I can even finish my sentence my feet are back on the ground and my face in Fred's hands. "Are you ok what-" I lean into him, "I'm ok just a bit dizzy." I murmur my head beginning to pound painfully, "sorry." He mumbles but I shake my head and kiss his cheek. "It was just a bit of fun but can we just lie down now?" He nods and pulls me on top of him as we get comfortable on the sofa again. "Whatever you want love."

"Are you going to tell me now?" I laugh and shake my head before burrowing myself in Fred's arms, "sorry darling but you talk too much." He laughs softly and kisses my head.


	50. FIFTY

"What's this?" I ask confused as Fred drops a cutely wrapped parcel into my lap, "a present." I roll my eyes and pass it back, "I can see that but what for?" He shrugs and gives me a sweet smile, "a guy can't spoil his girlfriend with gifts?" I smile at him and kiss him, "I don't want you to spoil me." He pouts, "but I want to spoil you." He says handing the package back over. "Fine but just this once." I say taking the package making him beam excitedly. 

"Oh it's beautiful." I smile at the ring in the small box. It was the shape of a snake curled around a beautiful gem. "Thank you." I say kissing him, "it's a promise ring." He explains as he slides it onto my hand, "yeah?" I ask with a growing smile, "yeah a promise that I'm never going to leave you." He laughs as I tackle him in a hug, "I love you so much, and I promise to never take it off because I'm never going to leave you either." 

"Why a snake?" I ask admiring the way the ring sat on my finger, "because you're my little snake." He says pressing a kiss to my temple. "You know since you won't tell me who Bill's girlfriend is." I laugh and nudge his shoulder, "you need to get over that." 

"No but I saw it in the shop and thought of my favourite Slytherin." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Where's George?" I ask, "he's staying over at the shop things are beginning to pick up and it's getting very busy." I nod, "why didn't you stay with him?" He smiles at me and swings an arm around my shoulder, "I couldn't leave you here alone now could I?" I smile, "well luckily for George I'm moving out soon." Daphne and I had found an apartment near diagon alley, both of us also got part time jobs until we got our newts results. 

"That's a shame mum's gonna miss you." I smile, "I'll visit of course." I was actually quite excited to be moving out, as much as I loved the burrow and the Weasley family I'd missed Daphne and paddy. Mrs Weasley had assured me that he could stay with us but I knew she didn't need the extra hassle in her already crazy household and so Remus had agreed to continue looking after him until I moved out. I visited a lot and Remus would bring him along when he came around to eat. 

"When's your first day?" Fred asks, "Monday." I had been employed in a small but beautiful bookshop and Daphne the ice cream shop beside it, it was going to be fun hopefully, especially since the twins shop was just down the road. "And you're moving out?" 

"In two days." He nods with a yawn, "you wanna sleep?" He shakes his head, "I'm not tired yet." He says only to yawn again making me smile, "let's go to bed." I suggest making him shake his head stubbornly, "no I want to stay with you." 

"You're such a child, let's just go to sleep." I say yawning myself as he rubs his eyes, "but I want to stay up and have fun." I repeat he was such a child. "You do that then, I'm going to sleep." I shrug making my way to his room, "Lyra wait for me!" He exclaims running after me making me laugh. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Where are you going?" Fred asks sleepily as he tries to pull me back into his arms. "Get up, we're making breakfast for everyone today." He groans and turns over to hide his face in his arms. "No, come back to bed." I pull the pillow out from under his head making groan, "Lyra!" He laughs as I begin to hit him with it. "Lyra stop!" I join in with his laughter, "get up and I'll stop." 

Suddenly he's pulled the pillow from my hands and has begun attacking me, "Fred!" I fall onto the bed laughing wildly as I reach for the other pillow the two of us blindly trying to hit each other. "Ha surrender!" I laugh jumping onto him and pinning his body down. "Never!" He laughs using his arms to block his face from my attacks. Then in the blink of a second his hands grip my arms and he's pinned me down beneath him. "I think you're the one who needs to surrender now love." He winks as he pants down over me his nose brushing against mine. 

I smile up at him before raising my head to connect our lips, once his hands move from my arms I take advantage of his distraction and get myself back on top. "Well darling I suppose you better think again." I whisper leaning in close to him making him smirk as he leans up only for me to move my head back. "Get up." He groans and drops his head back, "you're such a tease." He says as I smile and leave the room, "hurry up." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Ok I'm down, now can I have my kiss?" I turn to smile at Fred over my shoulder making him laugh once he sees me, "what are you doing we have magic." He says standing before me and swiping the flour from my face, "I know but we're doing it the muggle way." He rolls his eyes, "why?" I smile and dot a bit of flour on his nose, "because it's more fun that way." His eyes soften as a smile breaks out on his face and he kisses my forehead, "well I am the fun one, let's get started." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"I thought this was supposed to be fun?" I look up from the eggs that I was beating to see Fred's pouty face, "it is." He shakes his head, "I'm bored." He murmurs and so I turn the radio on making him grin. "Care for a dance Miss Malfoy?" He asks holding his hand out, "why I'd love to Mr Weasley." I say placing my hand in his. 

I smile up at him as we dance in the kitchen, the sun shining in on us making everything just that bit brighter and better like we were in our own perfect bubble of warmth. "What?" He asks smiling down at me, I shake my head and kiss his cheek, "nothing." 

I found myself getting lost into his eyes, his eyes that were such a deep shade of brown, until the light hits them just as it was right now, illuminating the small specks of gold that lit up like stars in the sky making me speechless, they're my favourite shade of brown. They were so bright and warm, especially when he smiles and the skin around his eyes crinkle. I could never tire of staring into them, they were home. 

I giggle as he dips me breaking me from my love struck daze, "you've been staring an awful lot sweetheart." He murmurs against my lips, "what can I say, I have a handsome dance partner." He smirks, "too true." I laugh as he pulls me back up, "you're so full of yourself." He winks, "well when your this dashing it's hard not be." I laugh again, "you talk too much." I say making him grin, "well honey come put your lips on mine and shut me up." He winks making me giggle as he pulls me in closer.


	51. FIFTY ONE

"Oh do be careful out there dear." I nod and smile as Mrs Weasley hugs me goodbye, "and know that you're always welcome here, anytime, never hesitate." She adds. "Thanks for everything Mrs Weasley." She shakes her head and kisses my forehead. "Oh We're going to miss you so much, aren't we?" I smile at The Weasleys, "I'm going to visit of course." She nods and pats my back. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Paddy!" I laugh as my not so tiny puppy comes running for me, "oh you've grown so much." I observe as i stroke his head, "thanks for looking after him professor Lupin." He smiles and shakes his head as he assures me that it was no problem. "Ah I feel as though my house may be a little more lonely without him." He says petting Paddy's head affectionately. "Well you're welcome to visit him anytime." I say making the older man grin, "this is a lovely place." He notes looking around the new apartment as paddy runs off to explore. "Thank you it took me a while to get it perfect." 

"You don't need any help do you?" I smile at the offer and shake my head, "no thanks, I've done everything that I needed to." He nods and then pats my shoulder, "right well I should be leaving you then." He says making his way to the door, "a little housewarming gift." He says holding out some chocolate making me laugh slightly. "Thanks sir." I say taking it appreciatively. "Have fun although I'm sure Sirius would want me to be clear that you shouldn't have too much fun." My eyes water slightly as I let out a small laugh. "He was very proud of you as we all are." I grin up at Remus and cant help myself from hugging him, "Thank you." He pats my back comfortingly, "no thanks necessary." 

Before anyone can say anything Daphne suddenly bursts through the door, "Who's excited to... professor Lupin?" Whatever she had been saying trails off once she sees our old professor in our new apartment hugging me. "Daphne nice to see you again." He says as we let go of each other. "And I saw the fire whiskey that you're hiding behind your back." He adds making her blush, "don't worry girls I won't say anything." He adds with a wink making her blush harder. "Anyways I should be going don't want to disrupt your plans." He says opening the door, "now do enjoy yourselves but also take care." I nod as daphne is still speechless and red, very red. "You got it sir, see you later." 

As soon as he's gone Daphne whirls around to face me in disbelief, "Why the hell was Professor Lupin in our apartment and why were you hugging him?" My mouth opens before I close it not really knowing how to explain it to her. Then she gasps as a thought comes to her, "are you- is there something going on there?" My eyes widen at her ridiculous assumption. "Daphne! Of course not don't be stupid." She shrugs, "I mean you used to stay behind after his classes an awful lot." I grab a pillow of the sofa beside me and whack her with it, "not because I was hooking up with him, the man is old enough to be our father." She laughs, "I mean not really besides even if you were I wouldn't blame you he's very-" 

"Stop it you weirdo, you know that I'm going out with Fred." She shrugs again, "I'd pick Lupin over Fred any day." I laugh and shake my head, "you do that then although I doubt he'd go for someone nearly 18 years younger than him." She sighs as she drops onto the sofa, "oh how unfair, if only I'd been born earlier." 

"Anyways what was he doing here if the two of you don't have something going on?" She asks very interested, "he was dropping off my dog." She nods, "right and why did he have the dog?" I shrug as I sit beside her, "a mutual friend gifted him to me and so professor Lupin took care of him for me." She nods, "since when did you have mutual friends with our old professor?" 

"What's with all the questions?" I ask taking a bottle of fire whiskey off her. "I mean I find you hugging our hot Professor in our apartment and you expect me not to have questions?" I laugh, "that's fair." 

"Anyways what's with all the fire whiskey?" I ask changing the subject as I look at the four bottles she had brought with her. "We are going to settle into our new home properly. Please don't be a party pooper" She says getting up to grab two glasses. "Fine." I say allowing her to pour me a drink.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Ok ok my turn never have I ever snuck a boy into our dorm room." Daphne drunkly giggles spilling some of her drink as she shoots it back. "That's not fair, it's not my fault you used the room of requirement for your hookups." I laugh as I refill her glass. "I was just smarter, why would you bring a boy back to a room you share with four other girls? You traumatised poor Kat." She laughs harder, "how did you even get him in though I thought boys were banned from the girls dorms." She taps her nose as she laughs, "I guess I'm the smarter one." 

"Anyways it's my turn now." She says leaning over and putting her finger to my lips to shush me. "Never have I ever got a tattoo." She says through her laughter, "that's such an easy one!" I laugh as she pushes my drink up, "drink!" She exclaims before she comes to a thought. "We should get a tattoo together!" I laugh and nod, "we should!" 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Fred enters the apartment to see the two girls laughing madly on the ground, "never have I ever done a one handed handstand." He leans against the wall for a second and watches Lyra nod and down her drink. "You have not!" Daphne laughs in disbelief, "I have too!" Lyra giggles beside herself, "have not!" 

Then all of a sudden Lyra is up off the ground and attempting to do a one handed handstand, she's very clearly drunk and has terrible balance but she does manage to do it for a couple of seconds only to go crashing onto the ground. He steps forward in concern only for that to disappear once he hears her loud loud laughter. "Ok I think that's enough for you love." Fred says moving forwards to lift his girlfriend up off the ground. "Wait mister I don't know you and I have a boyfriend." Lyra mumbles making Fred laugh, "Lyra-"

She shakes her head, "you might know my name but no." She says wrestling her way out of his grip, "Daphne tell this man I have a boyfriend." Daphne looks up from where she was laying on the ground and starts laughing, "that is your boyfriend." Lyra looks around in confusion, "no it's not, Fred's my boyfriend you know this. I think your drunk, you should get to bed." Daphne sticks her tongue out, and lays back on the ground. "Don't tell me what to do." She murmurs as Fred looks between them not knowing how to get them both to their rooms. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Ok you're coming with me." He says throwing Lyra over his shoulder after he calls George for help, George stands in the doorway laughing at the sight for a moment before Fred shoots him a look making him go over to Daphne who's already half asleep. "Hey let me go!" Lyra says as Fred carries her to her room. "No need to worry love I'm just trying to help." She huffs and stops resisting, "look I already told you that I have a boyfriend I don't care how handsome you are." Fred smiles to himself, "I have a girlfriend." 

"You do?" Lyra asks him, "I do and I'm just trying to help you because I know your boyfriend." Lyra smiles, "he's great isn't he?" She gushes making his smile grow. "Very great." She nods, "he's the best, I don't think he even knows how much I love him." She mumbles, "I'm sure he does." Fred tries to assure her. 

"I don't know, but I hope he does because I love him more than anything, even more than my own life. He's worth the world to me and I'd do anything for him." Fred smiles as he gets her into bed, "he knows and he loves you too." She nods with a sleepy smile, "I know, look at this ring he got for me." She says holding her hand out. "Very pretty." He hums amused that she actually doesn't realise who she's talking to. "I'm going to marry him one day. He's my soulmate." She tells him her voice so full of love that it makes his heart warm. 

Before he can say anything he hears the soft snores coming from her now sleeping form, he smiles and kisses her head, "I am going to marry you one day." He whispers brushing her hair from her face. 

Just as he's about to get into the bed paddy comes running in and jumps on the bed curling up next to Lyra as he too gets comfortable. "That bloody dog."


	52. FIFTY TWO

My head pounds as light hits my face. "Lyra?" I groan and roll over trying to bury my face further into my pillow. "Lyra?" I shake my head, "go away." I grumble trying to get further into my bed. "Lyra come on." My body curls up as my sheets are suddenly ripped from me, "Fred!" I shout really cold as I hear him laugh. "Lyra!" He mocks wrestling my pillow from my face. "Fred my head is killing me." I groan as I let him sit me up. "No one told you to get drunk last night." He smirks very clearly amused as I squint at him. "I know, I regret it." I pout. 

"I thought you would've." He says before pecking my lips and grabbing a tray from the side. "A healing potion for the headache, breakfast because I know you get extra hungry in the mornings and water because you need to hydrate." I smile up at him and grab his face so that I can kiss him, "merlin I love you." He grins at me and kisses my nose lightly, "I know." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Where's paddy?" I ask noticing the pup was no where around as I clean up the mess Daphne and I had made last night. "George took him for a walk." My eyebrows furrow, "George?" Fred smirks, "well I needed some help with the two of you off your heads." I shake my head, "how bad were we?" I ask afraid of the answer, "ooh well you didn't recognise me as your boyfriend and kept shouting at me to not touch you." I drop my face in my hands thoroughly embarrassed. "You said and I quote 'look I already told you that I have a boyfriend I don't care how handsome you are." I groan into my hands as he laughs. 

"It's ok darling it was very cute." He assures me as he pulls my hands from my face. "That's embarrassing." He laughs a bit, "I mean at least I know that you're loyal." I slap his arm, "you're not funny." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Mum wants you to come over for dinner today." I look up from the book I'd been reading and nod, "of course." I say putting the book away, perks of working in a bookshop would be getting to read whatever you wanted. "She said Bill has a very exciting announcement, maybe it has something to do with his girlfriend." Fred says, "maybe." I shrug unaware of what the announcement was, "well if it is then you can finally tell me?" I shake my head with a smile, "nice try honey but if it is you'll find out yourself, you can wait a few hours can't you." 

"You're no fun." He groans following after me, "isn't your break up now?" I ask knowing how busy the shop got and how many customers George would be struggling with. "Yes I'm going but be ready for dinner." I nod and kiss his cheek, "have fun." He smiles and kisses me before leaving. 

"I am exhausted." Daphne says as she enters and flops onto the couch, "from what?" She looks up and glares at me, "my arms are aching from scooping ice cream all day." I try to hide my smile, "but you have magic." This only makes her glare deepen. "Oh really? I have magic? Why didn't I think of that?" She seethes, "I forgot my wand at home and my good old boss wouldn't let me come and grab it." She sighs flopping back down. "Ah you should take more care and remember your things then." I laugh as I move to avoid the pillow that she sends flying my way. "Shut up." I shake my head but drape a blanket over her as she smiles up at me. "Thanks Lyra." She yawns, "remember your wand next time." She rolls her eyes, "yes mother." She hums before sitting her eyes. 

Luckily for me the bookshop didn't get too many customers those who did come in already knowing what they wanted meaning I wasn't bothered very much and could sit behind the counter my head in a book until my shift was up. Break time was fun, I'd spend it next door with daphne gossiping about difficult customers with free ice cream or at the twins shop helping in some way.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You're ready?" I roll my eyes at the surprise in George's voice. "You know that I'm punctual, you're the ones who never get anywhere on time." They look at each other and smirk, "that's not a compliment." I say before ushering them along not wanting to be that last ones for the dinner. 

"Lovely to see you as always Lyra." Mrs Weasley beams after letting me go, "lovely to see you again Mrs Weasley." I say, "the three of you should try and visit more." She says making me nod before she begins doting on her sons who'd been out of the house for a while, their business keeping them very occupied. 

"Oh hi Hermione." I greet the younger girl slightly surprised to see her here. "Lyra!" She greets me back rather enthusiastically. We all find ourselves in idle conversations as we waited for bill to arrive with his exciting announcement. 

"Finally." At last Bill had arrived with Fleur on his arm making everyone but me share confused glances, "is she?" I nod at Fred's question noticing him smirk immediately, "I mean I knew he'd been helping her improve on her English but wow he took the role a bit seriously." I kick him under the table to shut him up as Bill greets everyone. "So I called you all here because I had an exciting announcement." He starts of very clearly nervous as he spares glances at his mother. 

"Yes dear, what is it you've got to say and what does it have to so with her?" I don't miss the way that she sounds a bit distasteful as she refers to Fleur who was stood before us all with a nervous smile on her beautiful face. 

"Well mum, everyone I asked Fleur to marry me and she said yes!" I seem to be the only one who's excited for the couple. "What?" Mrs Weasley asks in disbelief as she along with Ginny and Hermione eye Fleur up rather unpleasantly. I mean I understood the shock factor especially since no one had known that they were even a thing and that mrs Weasley had even trying to set Bill up with Tonks but I liked Fleur she was nice, smart and strong, I thought that her and Bill made a wonderful couple. 

Since everything's gone a bit awkwardly quiet I get out of my seat and am the first to congratulate the couple, "Congratulations!" I beam hugging them both making the two grin at me appreciatively as it seems to have broken everyone from their daze. The twins follow in suit making jokes as one bye one everyone congratulated the two, some more begrudgingly than others. 

I take Fleur to the side as Mrs Weasley and Bill begin to engage in what doesn't seem to be the most pleasant conversation. "It's so nice to see you again." I say making her smile as she agrees, "how are you." She asks sympathetically, the last time she'd seen me I'd been crying over my dead boyfriends body. I push the memory from my mind and assure her that I'm ok as I engage in conversation with her.

"Oh your English has gotten better." I praise making her grin, "ah yes all thanks to Bill." She says adoringly making me grin. "How did he propose?" I ask smiling as she tells me the story. We then catch up on everything that had happened since we had last seen each other Bill and Mrs Weasley still having their discussion. 

"They do not like me do they?" She asks slightly disheartened making me frown, "Oh no its not you at all they're just shocked, they'll love you." I try to convince her but its slightly difficult seeing how ginny and Hermione were making it blatantly obvious how they felt and how we could hear Mrs Weasleys raised voice as she argues with her son.

The twins didn't seem too interested they were talking business as always and Ron"s face had heated up from the moment he'd payed eyes on Fleur which made Hermione scowl even more if possible. "It's going to be ok." I assure her not really even believing my words myself.


	53. FIFTY THREE

"Professor?" This would be the second time that Dumbledore has turned up to my apartment unannounced, taking me by surprise. "Miss Malfoy." He smiles kindly as I allow him into the residence. "Um can I get you anything?" I ask as he gets comfortable on the sofa. "No I'm quite alright thank you." He says before I sit in front of him. 

We sit in silence for a few moments me not knowing how to ask why he was here. "I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here?" I nod, "I have something's that Sirius had left for you." I can't help the surprise that appears on my face, I didn't think that Sirius had left anything for me and I didn't think I was ready to hear what it was. "Oh um he did?" Dumbledore smiles kindly and nods. 

"He left you a sum of money, and a box full of items that you were interested in." He says showing me the box, I pull out a leather jacket at the top that I had loved of Sirius's. I smile and hold it to me, "thanks sir." I say as he shakes his head. "There is also one more matter that I wish to discuss with you." I nod and put the jacket away as I give Dumbledore my full attention. 

"Your brother." I nod already having a feeling what this is about, "I would like for you to try and keep an eye on him, maybe even get through to him." He says, "Professor as much as I wished that I could, I don't think that I can he won't listen to me, and how am I even supposed to see him, Hogwarts was our only way to see each other the past few years." He nods, "when you receive your newt results and apply to st mungos to become a healer you may request to spend some of your time at the hospital wing at Hogwarts being trained under madam Pomfrey, she takes in a few past students each year." I nod, "oh ok, well I'll try my best." I hoped I could get through to Draco before it was too late, before he became a death eater, before he damaged his soul and was lost to me forever. 

"Also it is to my knowledge that you are now living with miss Cassidy?" I nod wondering what Dumbledore was going to say about Daphne, "does she know about the order?" I shake my head, "I haven't told her anything sir." He nods, "do you trust her?" I don't even have to hesitate, "with my life." He thinks things over for a moment before nodding, "very well, you may tell her about the order and ask her to join." 

"Now I must be leaving but I shall be seeing you soon." I nod and allow him to leave, "oh hi Professor." Daphne says as she sees him at the door, "nice to see you again miss Cassidy the two of you take care now." 

"What the hell Lyra!" I look her wordlessly, "why the hell do I keep coming home to see you with our old professors are you running a book club or something?" I can't help but start laughing, "a book club?" I question confused as to why her mind went there. "Well I don't bloody know! Look with Professor Lupin I didn't want to pry but what is going on? Does it have something to do with Sirius black?" My eyebrows furrow, "what does Sirius have to do with this?" She shrugs, "I hear you cry his name in your sleep." 

"Ok ok calm down I'll tell you everything." I say making her nod as she sits across from me, where Dumbledore has just been. "You went through all of that?" She asks very clearly shocked after I've given her an explanation. "This is mental Lyra." I nod, "I know." 

"You were living with Sirius black? The actual Sirius black? Mass murder Sirius black?" I wince as she speaks, "he didn't murder anyone, and yes." She moves to sit beside me, "are you ok?" She asks me genuine concern all over her face. "I'm doing better." I say making her smile sadly, "and I get to be apart of the secret club?" She asks changing the subject noticing my discomfort. "If you want to then yes." She grins, "hell yeah." I laugh at her enthusiasm. 

"So are there any cute boys in the order?" I shake my head not expecting that question, "Um there's Professor moody and Snape since I know you're into Professors." She gasps and pushes me, "Lyra ew no I'm only into Professor Lupin." I laugh really loudly not able to wrap my head around this. 

"We have dinner at the Weasleys some nights so I'll ask Mrs Weasley if it's ok for you to come next time." She nods seeming a bit nervous now, "will professor Lupin-" 

"What?" She laughs after I push her from the sofa, "he most probably will be there but don't be so weird." I say actually kind of afraid of the crush she was harbouring for the man I looked up to. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I sigh to myself having pulled the box of stuff Sirius had left for me into my room, nervous to go through it. But I swallow my fears and open the box, I pull the jacket back out with a smile, during my extra week off school Sirius and I had held a fashion show in his room, from his old clothes when he was young and cool. I looked ridiculous in half the stuff but I fell in love with the jacket and I hadn't thought that he knew but I guess he did. 

I pull it on and smile for a second before beginning to sift through the box, there were some more articles of clothing. I close my eyes and wrap the jacket around me tighter as I begin to cry, I try not to but I couldn't help it, I just missed him so much. 

A few moments later I force myself to stop, I think about what Sirius had told me, he told me that it would hurt but you should look back with a smile rather than tears and be appreciative and grateful of the time you did get to spend together.


	54. FIFTY FOUR

"Hurry up! We're going to be late!" I say pounding on Daphne's door as I wait for her, so that we can go for dinner at the Weasleys. "Hold your horses." She shouts back opening the door making my mouth drop, "what the hell are you wearing go and get changed." She had gone all out, "what I just wanted to look nice." I squint and cover my eyes as her shiny dress almost blinds me. "We're going to a nice and calm dinner we don't need an in person disco ball." She sticks her tongue out at me, "ok party pooper." She huffs. "Change quickly." I instruct as she scoffs. "Yes mother." 

"Oh my god Daphne we're going to be late." I groan leaning on her door, "leave without me then." She shrugs as the twins enter the apartment. "What's taking so long?" They ask and before I can reply I go flying backwards as Daphne has abruptly opened her door. I land on the ground with a harsh thump as I glare up at her still in her stupid shiny dress. "Daphne!" 

"What? I found another outfit, well I found two actually but I was just about to ask which you liked better." She says as the twins laugh, "that dress is great love but you will be very clearly overdressed," George says making her blush slightly, "right, like I said two new outfits so which one?" She asks holding a jumper and skirt up before switching to a light floral dress a lot more casual than the one she had on. "The jumper, it brings out your eyes." George says before anyone else can speak. Daphne smiles happily retreating to her room to change as, Fred and I share a glance. George catches our look and shakes his head at us, "shut up." He says his ears beginning to blend with his hair. "We didn't say anything." 

"But Georgie since we know how Lyra hates being late how about we go on ahead and you can wait for Daphne." Fred suggests as we smirk. "Oh shut up." He repeats making me laugh. "Have fun." I wink before Fred and I leave. 

"They so like each other." I say as soon as we get to the burrow, "couldn't have made it anymore obvious." Fred hums making me laugh. "We have got to get them together." Fred smiles down at me amused, "that would be fun but you're no Cupid darling." I make an offended face but all that does is make him laugh. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Once everyone has arrived we get started on the dinner well after Daphne's awkward introduction, she had tripped right as soon as she had walked through the door. Since Fleur and Daphne were the new comers I could see that they really felt it, looking among everyone else who was already really close. 

"So girls how was your first night at the apartment?" Professor Lupin asks, trying to clear some of the awkwardness, "fun." I manage to say as Daphne chokes on her drink making me look over at her inquisitively, "are you ok?" I whisper over as she quickly composes herself, "yes I just remembered something from that night." She whispers back making me so confused, "are you alright Daphne?" Remus asks her concerned, "y-yes Professor I was just drinking too fast." She says before I notice her look at George oddly. I wondered if he had something to do with this sudden realisation, well he must've done actually because he was the only other person she'd been with that night. 

"Paddy misses you." I say changing the subject, "he does how do you know?" I smile, "he gets excited at the smell of chocolate only to be disappointed when you're not there." Remus smiles, "he was really a wonderful dog." He says sounding like he'd missed him too, "well the offer still stands for you to come and visit anytime." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"That was really nice." Daphne says once we arrive back home, "they're really..." she trails off looking for an answer, "warm?" She nods, "it's quite infectious really." I nod along understanding what she meant. "But what's with the attitude they all have towards Fleur?" She asks me confused, "um well that's difficult, Mrs Weasley thinks she's just using Bill for his looks." Daphne shrugs, "yeah I mean he is hot, not gonna lie I was floored for a second once I saw him, what is with their genetics." I laugh, "I was actually floored when I met him for the first time, we walked into each other and I landed on top of him." She makes a face at me, "how come you get all the good interactions with the hot guys?" 

"I mean you're the one who's had some secret interactions with George." I shrug nonchalantly trying to see how she'd react, "how did you know that we kissed?" She asks confused, "you kissed?" I ask in disbelief, "so you didn't know." 

"you made it pretty obvious during dinner that the thing you remembered had to do with him but I didn't know you kissed, what happened?" She groans, "nothing happened I was drunk, and I threw myself at him, which is so mortifying to think back on. I kissed him he did not appreciate the affection and um I'm just going to keep pretending that I do not remember." Oh well that wasn't what I had been hoping for. "Um maybe it was just because you were drunk and he didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of you, Georgie's a proper gentleman." She smiles slightly but then shakes her head, "maybe but I'd rather just not mention it again, you know just incase." 

"Anyways night Lyra, Florian gave me an early shift tomorrow, he's so annoying." She groans moving towards her room, "don't be mean to Florian he gives us free ice cream and lets you go on break for way longer than you're supposed to." I say making her nod, "that's true, he's a sweetheart when he's not giving me the shit shifts." I laugh slightly, "you never even encounter your boss Mrs Muriel, she's just left you to the shop to do as you please." She says in jealousy, "you know I'm actually a bit worried about her, the shop doesn't open on the days I don't go in." She shrugs, "Mrs Muriel's old she was probably just waiting to pawn her dusty shop off to someone don't think too hard on it." 

I nod feeling calm until we heard a smash, my heart leaps to my throat as Daphne and I look at each other, she gets the lights and I the blinds, deatheater raids were not common yet they were not entirely uncommon. We crouch by the window to see non other than a few of my parents friends. I take in a breath as I watch them pull poor mr Davis from his house, I feel sick watching them set his house on fire after not finding whatever they had been looking for. He cries as they laugh but luckily they don't kill him so as soon as they're gone I run out. Daphne begging me not to.

"Mr Davis, are you alright?" I ask crouching down beside him on the ground, after quickly putting the fire out. He has some cuts on his face and he's still crying on the ground. "Daphne help me bring him inside." I say making her nod as she comes running out after me. 

"Mr Davis, it's alright you're safe now." I assure him as we set him down on our sofa, "my house, my things, my whole life was in that house." Daphne and I share a worried glance as we watch the inconsolable elderly man. "I'm sure not everything's gone, we can go and check for you if you want?" This stops his crying, "oh no dear it's alright I don't want to put you in harms way." He says sniffling to himself quietly. 

"Mr Davis your injured, let me help you." I say as he sits there a vacant look in his eye, mr Davis was a lonely man, after his wife had passed he didn't really have anyone to keep him company but Daphne and I had tried. He was really lovely, a bit lost after losing his wife and would sometimes make extra food still thinking he needed to feed her. He'd always drop the extras off at our apartment not really knowing what to do with them. 

"Eileen." He murmurs under his breath as I heal him, "my Eileen was in that house." I frown at the utter heartache on his face, he didn't mean her body of course he meant the memory of her, I know because he told us many stories of his late wife. He truly loved her more than anything. "It's going to be ok Mr Davis, your Eileen isn't gone she's here." I assure him softly placing a hand on his chest above his heart. He places his hand over mine and smiles slightly. 

"Are you ok? Do you have somewhere you can go?" He looks a bit dazed. "My son, I can go to my son." He answers after a second. "Do you want us to take you?" Daphne asks returning to the room a cup of tea in her hands. "Oh no I can make my own way there, I don't want to trouble you anymore than I already have." He says as she hands him the tea. "You're no trouble Mr Davis." We assure him. "W-what were they looking for?" 

"They were looking for someone they asked where she was." My blood runs cold, it hadn't been me had it? "Who?" I don't know if I want to hear this. "I don't know, they just kept asking for 'she'" he murmurs quietly. 

After we make sure Mr Davis has gone to his son safely Daphne and I silently go to our rooms. I turn in the dark unable to sleep, the dread I felt was overwhelming and it felt like it was just getting stronger. Paddy is laying beside me, I pet him as I try to calm myself, it works but not a whole lot, I still felt like I was being pushed under water and that I needed to come up for air but was unable to. 

I jump slightly as my door creaks open, but I relax once I see that it's only Daphne with her pillow in her arm. Neither of us say anything as she climbs into my bed silently and settles down. "Lyra?" She whispers out into the silence after a long moment, "yeah?" I ask looking over at her. "I'm scared." She admits in a small voice, "so am I, but we'll get through this." She smiles at me hopefully before she yawns. "You wanna take a sick day tomorrow and just stay home in our pyjamas, you can show me more of those muggle movies that you like." I offer making her grin.


	55. FIFTY FIVE

Daphne had fallen asleep amidst our movie marathon and so I looked around the apartment still unable to get the events of last night out of my mind. I smile seeing Daphne and paddy curled up together before making my way towards the door. 

I hesitate outside of poor mr Davis house and take a deep breath before entering, if there was anything salvageable then he deserved to have it with him. I have to cover my mouth the smokey fumes burning my throat as I tried to cough it all back out. The damage isn't too bad luckily but sadly a lot of things are ruined. I manage to find a few photo albums in pretty good condition along with a box labelled Eileen. I smile glad that whatever has been in the box had survived. 

"Where were you?" I'm stunned to see three worried faces waiting back at my apartment instead of the one I had left sleeping. "I was at Mr Davis house looking for anything I could save." I say feeling bad at Daphne's fear stricken face, she had been in George's arms as Fred was pacing around. "I thought they got you." She cries hugging me tightly. "I'm ok, I'm sorry I thought you'd still be asleep when I got back." I say not knowing how scared she'd actually been, "what if they had come back and taken you?" 

"We don't know that they're looking for me." I try and calm the situation down as I see the twins share a worried glance. "I'm fine." I say not liking how they were all worrying. "What if they are?" I feel my stomach churn at the thought, they were most probably looking for me. "I don't know what am I supposed to do? Surrender myself?" 

"No!" The three exclaim, "guys I don't really know what I can do, but I'm going to be fine." I mean I hoped that I would be fine, "now the two of you have a shop to run." I say to the twins, "and you promised me movies all day." I say to Daphne who finally let's go of me. 

"Lyra are you ok? We didn't know what had happened last night, merlin if anything had happened to you then I don't know-" I cut Fred's rambling off as he follows me to my room. "Fred I'm fine honestly, they didn't even come near us last night." I assure him he forgets whatever is he's about to say and nods pulling me into his arms. "I just love you so much." He says the fear in his voice not allowing me to enjoy this moment as I'm much as I usually would. "And I love you." 

"We're going to be ok." I assure him kissing his cheek, he doesn't say much but he nods, "now go on my successful businessman hates being away from his shop." I tease, "he loves his girlfriend just a bit more." I laugh and gasp over dramatically, "just a bit?" I'm glad to see the smile break out on his face at my theatrics. I hated seeing him worry, Fred and George were always laughing or something. They didn't suit being serious. 

"My my Fredrick your girlfriends not going to be very pleased with you." He laughs now, "it's ok love she loves me too much." He winks making me smile, "oh someone's confident I see." He just smiles and wraps his arms around me, "do you deny that you love me?" He asks making me smile, "of course not." I say making him grin at me very smugly. "Ok ok, go to your shop now, I have plans." 

"Very pushy, calm down love I'm going." He chuckles before we join George and Daphne, after assuring George that I'm fine the boys leave and I turn to Daphne. I'm just going to drop Mr Davis his things off and then I'll be back." I tell Daphne who looks very hesitant. "It's ok everything will be fine, after last night he deserves to know that Eileen's things had survived. "Fine but I'm coming with you." I shake my head, "I'll be gone thirty minuets max, just hang out with paddy its ok." I say knowing that she was exhausted. 

I walk to the house that we had dropped Mr Davis off at yesterday the box in my arms making me so excited to see him smile after seeing how much he had cried last night.

My breath hitches and I drop the box in shock as I see the dark mark floating above the now cold house. I pull out my wand as I sprint through the unhinged door. "Oh no." Mr Davis son Roger was laying dead on the ground right by the door. "Oh merlin no." I whisper crouching down to see if there was anything that i could do, but it was too late. I cant help the tears that escape, I'd only met Roger yesterday but he had been so kind and so thankful that I had brought his father to safety, but things weren't so safe right now. 

"Mr Davis?" I call out tearfully moving further through the house to see if I could find him, I do. I gasp once i spot his body running with blood so much blood. He hadn't been spared the same quick end as his son, instead he'd been tortured. "Oh Mr Davis." I cry seeing that he was still alive, "Lyra?" He rasps out through the pain, "M-mr Davis I don't know what to do, I don't think that I can-" He grabs my hand to stop my talking, "it...it's ok dear my Eileen... she's waiting for me." He tells me with a genuine smile as though he couldn't feel all the pain that he should. 

"What happened?" I ask holding onto his hand tightly, "they came back with questions for me, they- they're looking for you Lyra." I feel my heart stop, "Oh I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He shakes his head with the same kind smile he always wore on his face. "Mr-" 

"I think you've earned the right to call me Frank now dear." He says as tears spill down my face. "Frank I'm so sorry, you should've just told them where I was." He shakes his head more adamantly than before, "my dear I have lived my life, you should get a chance to do the same." He takes in a breath, "I just have one request." I nod quickly, "anything." 

"My granddaughter Evangeline, she's upstairs hiding in the cupboard, we have no other family, find her a good home, and look out for her?" I nod, "of course." He smiles seeming relived like he didn't have to try and hold on anymore. "Our safe word is bumble bee, don't let her forget us and don't waste this." I nod and hold his hand tighter. "Of course not, thank you." I whisper, he smiles and squeezes my hand. "Thank you and Daphne too, the two of you keeping this lonely old man company gave me a reason to smile again, I'm afraid I must go now, my Eileen she's calling me." My eyes shut and more tears spill as Mr Davis's hand goes limp in mine and he takes his last breath.

I force myself to stop crying and make my way upstairs where I hear small fearful whimpers coming from one of the bedrooms. "Evangeline? It's ok I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend your grandad sent me, he said the code word was bumblebee?" I say softly, smiling gently when a small girl pokes her head out from the cupboard door. "Bumblebee?" I nod, "bumblebee." I repeat. 

I try to not cry once she leaves the cupboard, but she was so small and she had no family left thanks to me. "How old are you?" I ask as she doesn't move any closer to me. "Four." A lump forms in my throat, she was just a baby what would she even remember of her father? Of her grandfather. 

"Where's my daddy and my pop pop?" I crouch down in front of her trying to stay calm so that she stayed calm, "they had to do something really important, really really important and they asked me to look after you for the time being." I tell her, "I'm going to stay with you?" I nod with a smile hoping she wouldn't start crying, "but they're going to come back right?" She was so young how was I supposed to tell her? 

"They're going to try, but this important job it's a bit dangerous only the bravest men and women can do it." She smiles, "my daddy and my pop pop are very brave." I nod, "they are so brave, now come on we gotta go." She sends me a hesitant smile as she grabs onto a dragon teddy from her bed and then turns to me and holds her hand out.


	56. FIFTY SIX

"You haven't even told me your name miss." Evangeline says as I hold her and apparate us away, "oh how silly of me, it's Lyra." I tell her as we get to our destination, "you're Lyra?" She asks her whole face lighting up, "my pop pop told me about you, you made those yummy frosted cookies didn't you?" I nod, "can you make me some more please they were just so yummy!" I smile at the young girl, "we can make them together." I say which makes her day. "Thank you!" She says clinging to me tightly which makes me laugh. 

"Where are we?" She asks as I walk towards the burrow, "this is a safe place Evangeline don't worry, I'll always keep you safe." She nods and rests her head on my shoulder as I approach. I would've gone straight home but I needed to tell the order what had just happened and I knew that they were having a meeting right now. 

"Lyra dear..." Mrs Weasley trails off once she catches sight of me, "what's going on? Is everything alright?" I glance at Evangeline who looks afraid in my arms, "who are all these people?" She whispers up at me, "they're my friends, don't worry they're all great people they wouldn't hurt you." I assure her but she still seems wary. 

"These are my very very good friends Ron and Hermione, they're going to go and take you to get some food." I say she nods and reaches for Ron who takes her wide eyed hermione following after him to make sure he didn't drop her or something. 

"Lyra what happened?!" Everyone asks as soon as she's gone, "I came here to tell you but first someone has to tell Daphne that I'm ok, she's probably freaking out right now. "All this blood!" Mrs Weasley gasps horrified by the sight of my blood soaked clothes, "it's not mine." I assure her as she checks me over, "last night there was a deatheater raid in our neighbourhood, they- they targeted my elderly neighbour Mr Davis." I start off, "Frank?" Kingsley asks making me nod sadly, "they set his house on fire but they left him alive and I-I took him to his sons house." 

"I thought everything would be ok, I thought they were safe and so I went back to his house today to collect his belongings and when I got there, the dark mark was above the house. I ran in but it was too late his son, Roger was dead and Frank he was bleeding out. I-I tried to save him but there was so much blood, too much blood I couldn't do anything I couldn't help him." I tell them really feeling the weight of it hit me, "and he asked me to take care of his granddaughter Evangeline, she was upstairs hiding in the closet and he asked me to find her somewhere to stay and to look out for her." Mrs Weasley is the first to react and wrap her arms around me. 

"Do you know why the death eaters went after him?" My mouth goes dry as I don't want to actually say it out loud because then I'd be forced to admit it. "They were looking for me and he refused to say where I was." I whisper it doesn't seem like anyone heard me though. Anyone except Moody and Remus. Moody makes a face and Remus looks at my sympathetically. 

"What did you say?" I take a deep breath as my eyes water, "it's ok Lyra." Remus says coming over to me, he grabs me gently by the arm and escorts me out of the room, "it's not your fault." He assures me as Moody probably informs the others. "Do you want me to take you home?" He asks and I shake my head, "no I can go alone." He nods and looks at me in worry, "get some rest." I nod and smile as he hands me some chocolate. 

"Hey Evangeline are you ready we're going now." I say making my way to where she was sat with Ron and Hermione, "I'm ready." She says standing and making her way over to me, "bye Ron, Mione." They both smile softly and wave at her, "Lyra, she can stay here if you want." Mrs Weasley offers after I say bye to everyone Evangeline in my arms again. I look at the innocent young girl and shake my head as she looks at me panicked. "I want to stay with you!" 

"It's ok she's my responsibility, I promised I'd take care of her." Mrs Weasley nods. I had to make sure that she was ok that was Frank's dying wish and I had to honour it. 

"Lyra I'm tired." I smooth Evangeline's hair as I take her back to our apartment, "you can go to sleep now." I hum softly smiling as she hugs her dragon teddy to her chest, "you know Ron told me that his brother Charlie likes dragons too." I nod, "why do you like dragons?" I ask as Daphne appears from her room looking at me wide eyed. 

"What the fuck?" My own eyes widen and Evangeline giggles. "Daphne!" She looks between the young girl and me again, "what the fuck?" She repeats, "hey Evangeline you see that room down there? That's yours, why don't you go and get ready for bed." I suggest turning to my friend once the child is gone. "What the-" 

"Yeah yeah I got it what the fuck? I have to take care of her Daphne, at least until I find somewhere for her to stay." I say in a hurried whisper not wanting the small girl to hear us. "Why? Who even is she?" I take in a breath, "she's Mr Davis granddaughter." I say regretfully, "why do- oh...he hasn't?" She says sadly figuring it out as all I can do is nod, "I went to give him the things and the dark mark was over the house, her dad... and Mr Davis was bleeding out, his last request was that I took care of Evangeline." She nods wiping her eyes, "why did they go back after him?" I shrug deciding not to worry her further, "I don't know but she has no other family." Daphne frowns at that. 

"Lyra?" I turn to see Evangeline leaving her temporary room, "yes?" I ask, "I'm scared can you sleep with me please?" I nod, "of course, you know what my dog Paddy's in my bed you can go and lie with him he's a great protector." Her eyes light up as soon as she hears the word dog and she goes running excitedly to my room. 

"What are we going to do?" I frown and shrug, "I don't know but I'll handle it." Daphne shakes her head, "we'll handle it." She assures me glancing towards my room. "How old is she?" She whispers, "four." Her eyes tear up, "what did you tell her?" I begin to bite my nails feeling my heartbeat pick up. "I told her they're on a very important mission." I say not knowing if I should've said that. "So she thinks they're coming back?" I shrug, "I don't know but I couldn't bloody tell her that they're dead, how do you tell a four year old that?" She bites her lip not knowing what to say. "Lyra we just turned eighteen how are we supposed to care for a four year old?" 

"It's not forever! I'm going to find her a new home but I have to do this Daphne, I can't just abandon her I made a promise."


	57. FIFTY SEVEN

"What do we feed her?" I shoot Daphne a look of disbelief at her stupid question, "I don't know why don't we try food?" She rolls her eyes, "hey Evangeline what do you want to eat?" I ask ignoring Daphne, "cookies." I smile, "you can have cookies later, but you need proper food for breakfast." She scrunches her little face as she racks her brain for a good breakfast choice. "Pancakes! Please." I nod, "wanna help me make them?" She nods and runs over excited. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"And now you flip them watch." I lift the pan and try to flip the pancake only for it to splat onto the ceiling, I laugh as Evangeline slaps her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles. "Whoops." I say looking up at it before sharing an amused glance with her. "Let's just try again." 

"What smells so good." I jump slightly as the twins apparate into the apartment, "pancakes." I answer smiling over at them for a second noticing the looks of confusion on their faces, Evangeline grabs my arm, "who are they?" She whispers, "my friends." She nods, "you have a lot of friends." I laugh slightly. "Who's that?" Fred asks making Evangeline shrink to hide behind me slightly. 

"This is our new roommate Evangeline." I introduce making her peek out and wave, George smiles and waves back and Fred just looks confused. "I will explain later but who wants pancakes?" I offer trying to change the subject. "Me!" The three say in unison making me laugh. 

"You know actually Evangeline these are Ron's brothers." She lights up at the sound of Ron's name, "is one of them Charlie?" I shake my head and she looks a bit disappointed, "oh." Fred and George share a glance at this, "what does she mean oh?" I shrug finding their offence amusing, "I think she means she doesn't find you interesting." Evangeline nods, "Ron's better." She says her little cheeks dusting a light pink colour. "You hear that Ron's better." I repeat laughing at the faces they make. 

"Ron's not better, we are!" Before anyone can continue the debate, Daphne leaves her room in her work uniform, "where are you going?" George asks, "to work?" She says pointing to the badge making him nod with a bit of a blush. "Have fun!" She smiles at Evangeline's enthusiasm takes a pancake and then she's gone. 

"So what do you wanna do?" I ask the three in front of me, "aren't you going to the shop today?" I ask them confused as they shake their heads, "no it's our day off." They hadn't taken a day of yet so that was odd. "You don't take days off." They shrug, "we felt like one today." I watch them both for a second but shrug it off for now. 

"Why are you here?" I ask once Evangeline is away from the table, she and George were playing with paddy in the other room. "What a guy can't come and visit his girlfriend?" He asks, "you're here to watch over me aren't you?" I ask making his eyes widen slightly letting me know that whatever he said next was going to be a lie. "No." I look at him for a second noticing how he starts playing with his fingers, "yes." I say making him sigh and nod, "mum told us what happened last night, and we all agreed that you shouldn't be left alone." He admits, "I'm fine." He grabs my hand from across the table. "You are thankfully but she told us they were looking for you." I felt my heart squeeze at those words. "And I don't want you to be unsafe ever, I promised I'd never let them get you." 

"Fred I'll be fine." I try to assure him, "I know you will because I'm going to make sure of it." I don't fight him on it deciding it wasn't worth it. "Ok, but I don't need babysitters, you should go to the shop." He raises our joined hands and kisses mine. "The shop can handle one day without us." 

"So...did your mum tell you everything about what happened last night?" He shakes his head, "her owl was brief, we only know the basics." I glance over to make sure we were still alone in the room before explaining what happened to him. "Daphne doesn't know that they were looking for me." I add knowing that I had to tell her but I was unsure when. "When are you going to tell her?" I shrug, "I don't know how I'm supposed to say it, she's already worrying so much." He sends me a reassuring smile. "It'll be ok." 

"Ugh this is just so much trouble, I should just hand myself in and get it over and done with." Fred looks appalled by the words that have just left my mouth, "are you joking, because that's not funny." I bite my lip feeling guilty at the look on his face. I hated this I felt like I was forcing Fred to be serious to worry and it was awful he and George were always so lighthearted but recently I'd made him smile less and less. "Yes it was a joke, sorry I didn't mean it." I mumble knowing that I had full well meant what I said. Neither of us say anything, we just look away awkwardly. 

"Lyra!" I'm so glad when Evangeline comes running in disrupting our painfully awkward silence, "can we make the cookies now?" She asks, I look at her big brown eyes so full of hope and nod, "of course we can." I nod hoping that she can keep her childlike innocence for as long as possible. "Does your friend want to help us?" She whispers making me smile as I look at Fred who was smiling again. "I don't know why don't you ask him." 

"I'm going to go check up on the shop." George says to me as I watch Fred talk to Evangeline very animatedly, I shake my head with a smile as I realise that they're arguing about Ron. "You don't have to come back." I tell him, thinking he probably didn't want to. "I want to make sure you're ok, I mean how could I be your favourite twin if I didn't take care of you also how could I be the favourite third wheel if there's no couple to third wheel?" I laugh feeling touched by his words whilst also a bit confused, but I got what he was trying to say. "Thanks George." He shakes his head and wraps his arms around me. "Like I told you, we fight for each other."


	58. FIFTY EIGHT

"Ron's not even funny though, George and I however-" I sigh having listened to this for long enough, "Fred stop it or no cookies for you." Evangeline smirks at him crossing her arms and everything making me laugh as Fred looks at her and then me in disbelief. "She's a little-" I send a glare his way making him stop in his tracks. 

"Cookies!" I say clapping my hands trying to get their attention off each other. "Are you going to help me or not?" Evangeline pushes past Fred making me laugh as he watches her in disbelief once again as he mumbles something under his breath. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra?" I turn to see what Evangeline had wanted to say to me after putting the cookies in the oven. "You have some flour on your face." She says pointing to her own nose, "do I?" I ask dotting some on hers, "now we're matching." I say as she giggles. "Well what about me?" Fred asks looking between us with a smile. "You're not special enough." I say making his jaw drop as Evangeline giggles at his face. "Oh sorry I forgot I'm not Ron." He says sarcastically smiling at the girl. "You're just jealous of him." Evangeline says making me quickly stifle my laughs into my hand as my boyfriend shoots me an accusing look. 

"You know I'm starting to think someone has a little crush on Ronnikins." Fred says making Evangeline's face flush bright red. 

"I do not!" She protests pouting at him, "oh I think you do." He continues making me sigh, why was he arguing with a four year old? "Fred leave her alone." I say as he continues with the teasing, which just riles her up more. He ignores me until she fills her small hand with flour and chucks it at him, I laugh loudly at the shock on his face as it gets covered with the powdery substance. "I'm going to get you now." He says running after Evangeline who's squealing with laughter as she runs as fast as her little legs will take her, trying her hardest to get away from him. Her laughter increases once he scoops her up and throws flour over her, the two starting a mini food fight. 

"Ok I think that's enough now." I say with a small laugh making them smirk at each other before they come running for me. "No! No!" I laugh trying to escape them, I don't get far before Fred has wrapped an arm around me and pulled me back into his chest. He lifts Evangeline onto the counter and holds me in place as they laugh and rub flour all over my face. "That's not enough." Fred says grabbing an egg and smashing it over my head. I shiver as the cold gooey yolk runs down me, "Fred that's not funny!" I gasp in disbelief, "I don't know I thought it was eggsellent." I cant help but laugh along with the other two glad that all the tension between Fred and I was gone from our conversation earlier. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"She's cute I guess." Fred admits after we put Evangeline down for a nap, I nod feeling my eyes sting as I watch her pull her dragon teddy closer to her. "Lyra?" Fred asks following me from the room as I begin to cry, I felt like I cried so much, but I can't help it, I feel so sick. 

"Lyra what's wrong?" He asks softly grabbing onto my arm to stop my walking, "I ruined her life." I say, "her dad, her grandad are dead because of me, she's never going to see them again and it's all my fault." He looks at me sadly as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest. "It's not your fault, Lyra it's not." He assures me as he kisses my forehead, but he was wrong. 

Now I knew how Harry felt, having someone die for you was the worst feeling in the world. Knowing that they'd never do anything, that their lives had been ripped from them because of you, sucked bad. "I didn't deserve it Fred, I'm not worth it." Evangeline deserved to have her family she deserved to grow up with her father. 

I know that I made a promise but having her around hurt too because she was a constant reminder of what had happened. And when she'd tell me stories about her dad or her grandad I'd always feel sick with guilt, how could I sit there with her knowing that she'd never get a kiss goodnight from her dad or a bedtime story from her pop pop, how was I supposed to tell her that they were never coming back? 

"You are worth the world Lyra Malfoy."


	59. FIFTY NINE

Over the next week or so I'd been confined to my apartment or the burrow everyone agreeing that it wasn't safe for me to be going out and about. It wasn't that bad because I always had company, either the twins who tried but their shop was doing really, really well and so their visits lessened slightly. It was ok though because I had Daphne or the other Weasleys back at the burrow. 

We visited the burrow quite a bit because Evangeline and I got a bit bored at home and she definitely wouldn't say no to seeing Ron. Fred was definitely correct when he said someone had a little crush although I wouldn't say it was so little. Plus Fleur had begun staying at the burrow, Bill was hoping they'd like her more if they got to know her. It wasn't going so well and so I went as much as possible so that she didn't feel so lonely and out of place. 

Today Dumbledore let me know that I should be safe to do whatever, he said that for the time being, the death eaters chase on me had been put on hold. I don't know how he had managed it but I was thankful because I wanted everyone to stop worrying about me. 

"Are we going to see Ron today?" I smile slightly at Evangeline's question, "you bet we are angel." She beams and runs off to grab her dragon teddy, she never went anywhere without it, we learnt that the hard way. 

Once we get to the burrow I let her down out of arms and watch with a grin as she runs over to Ron, "bumblebee!" He exclaims just excited as he lifts her up. Ron had been nervous around Evangeline at first but he'd warmed up to her rather quickly and would always humour her. He was also the only person she allowed to call her bumblebee, she said it was a special nickname and not just anyone could call it her. She had said that I could but I didn't because it felt wrong knowing that was her grandads nickname for her. Instead Fred and I had settled on calling her angel which she loved. 

Evangeline had warmed up to Fred but she would always let him know that he'd never beat Ron, the two of them still having their petty arguments over it. It could be quite entertaining at times but Fred often forgot he was arguing with a four year old so I had to calm things down a lot. Fred was actually her second to last favourite Weasley, the order was Ron of course, then Ginny followed by Charlie, George then Fred and finally Bill. She'd never heard of Percy so she didn't have an opinion there, she'd also never met Charlie which is what Fred kept bringing up when he tried to persuade her to bump him up the list. She ignored that though and said his love for dragons made up for the lack of meeting. 

"Lyra, lovely to see you come and have breakfast." Mrs Weasley greets with a warm smile and hug, I notice Fleur watching us with a slight frown. I hated when Mrs Weasley would be kind to me in front of Fleur because it always made her feel bad, and reminded her of she wasn't accepted, it made me feel so awkward too. 

"Hey Bill Fleur." I greet as I join them at the table, they grin and greet me back in relief glad to see one person in the house who never had anything bad to say about their relationship. We settle into a nice conversation about how things were going for them, their upcoming wedding, again I seemed to be the only one excited for the event, which meant Fleur spoke a lot about it to me. I didn't mind though I was glad that she felt like she could at least speak to someone and she should be able to be excited for her wedding without receiving an eye roll in response. 

"When are you going to start at st mungos?" Bill asks me after the conversation gravitates towards jobs, "I'll know if I even can once I get my results." I say hoping that I'd done good enough. "I'm sure you will, you've always been very smart Lyra, I remember all the help you gave Cedric during the tournament." Fleur says before sending me a reproachful look, she was always nervous about mentioning Cedric or the tournament around me. 

I smile thankfully at her to let her know that I was alright, I was ok with speaking about Cedric now, there was still a full ache as I thought about him but I'd come to terms with everything. I could look back on our time together with a smile grateful for everything. "Thank you but Cedric was really smart himself, I didn't do much." 

Bill excused himself as he has to go to work, leaving Fleur and I before we can continue speaking I'm shocked to see Hermione come running down the stairs with a rather large bruise over her eye. Ginny also joins us with Evangeline and Ron. "What happened?" I ask sitting her down as I try and get rid of the mark. "I don't know I looked through a telescope in the twins room and it punched me." I don't know what to say to that, "you can get rid of it can't you Lyra?" She asks hopefully making me frown as nothing seems to be working. "I hope so, nothing that I know of is working." I say racking my brain for every available spell. "Oh I'm sorry Hermione, I'm going to be a rotten healer if I can't even get rid of a bruise." I say slumping down into my chair as mrs Weasley enters. 

"It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can't come off." Ginny says as Mrs Weasley takes over and tries to remove it also with no luck. "Idiots." I whisper under my breath my mind already filling with all the things I'd say to them the next time we saw each other. 

My attention however is diverted once a familiar spectacled boy stumbles into the kitchen. "Lyra?" He asks his face lighting up once he spots me, I grin and pull him into my arms, "I didn't know that you were here." I say as he continues to grin at me, "I got here last night." 

"But it's got to come off!" Hermione squeaks. "I can't go around looking like this forever!"

"You won't, dear, we'll find an antidote, don't worry," said Mrs. Weasley soothingly. "Bill told me how Fred and George are very amusing!" Fleur says, smiling serenely.  
"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," Hermione snaps, "don't worry Hermione I'll get you the antidote, I'm sure they have one." I say trying to assure her. She nods at me before she jumps up and starts walking round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together. "Mrs. Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?" She asks apprehensively. 

"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," said Mrs. Weasley patiently. "But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time. . . ."  
"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," Hermione mutters feverishly, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back —"

"Hermione, will you shut up, you're not the only one who's nervous!" barked Ron. "And when you've got your eleven 'Outstanding' O.W.L.s . . ."

"Don't, don't, don't!" said Hermione, flapping her hands hysterically. "I know I've failed everything!"  
"What happens if we fail?" Harry asks the room at large, but it was again Hermione who answered.

"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term." Harry looks rather nervous. 

"At Beauxbatons," Fleur starts complacently, "we had a different way of doing things. I think it was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then-" Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Hermione was pointing through the kitchen window.

"They're definitely owls," said Ron hoarsely, jumping up to join Hermione at the window. "And there are three of them," said Harry, hastening to her other side.  
"One for each of us," said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Oh no ... oh no ... oh no .. ." She gripped both Harry and Ron tightly around the elbows.

Mrs. Weasley squeezed past them and opened the kitchen window. One, two, three, the owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line. All three of them lifted their right legs. Harry moved forward. The letter addressed to him was tied to the leg of the owl in the middle. He untied it with fumbling fingers. To his left, Ron was trying to detach his own results; to his right, Hermione's hands were shaking so much she was making her whole owl tremble.

We all stay silent as they open their results waiting in anticipation, I feel myself let out a breath of relief as the boys look glad with their results. "Knew you'd be top at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ron says, punching Harry on the shoulder. "We've done all right, haven't we?"

"Well done!" said Mrs. Weasley proudly, ruffling Ron's hair. "Seven O.W.L.s, that's more than Fred and George got together!" 

"Hermione?" said Ginny tentatively, for Hermione still hadn't turned around. "How did you do?" I ask her slightly nervously but it's not as though she could've failed she couldn't have."I...not bad," Hermione answers in a small voice. "Oh, come off it," Ron, strides over to her and whips her results out of her hand. "Yep. Nine 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' at Defense Against the Dark Arts." He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?" Hermione shook her head, but Harry laughed. Ginny and I also join in which makes Hermione crack and laugh with us. 

"When do you get your results?" Harry asks me curiously, "they get theirs a week after we get ours." Hermione answers making me smile nervously, "yeah so fingers crossed everyone, let's hope I did as well as you guys."


	60. SIXTY

"Owls!" I jump at Evangeline's shouting and run over to the window to see that there were indeed two large beautiful barn owls flying our way. "Daphne, owls!" I shout laughing as she runs from her room only to trip and fall right in front of us. 

I take in a breath as I take my addressed envelope from the owls leg, I pet it fondly and hand it a small treat from the ones we kept by the window. "I-I can't untie it." Daphne huffs as she struggles with her owl, I laugh and undo it for her. "Stupid owl." She huffs snatching the envelope after the owl bites her. "Yeah fly away!" She yells out of the window making me shake my head as Evangeline giggles. 

"Ready?" I ask taking in a breath, "no but when have I ever been?" She questions, "oh wait!" She says making me jump. "What?" I ask trying to calm my erratic heartbeat, "we promised Mrs Weasley that we'd open them with her." She reminds making me nod, "oh yeah." 

We quickly get to the burrow, where Mrs Weasley greets us eagerly, "oh go on girls." She encourages as hesitate with the results. Pulling myself together and ignoring the pit in my stomach I slip the parchment from the envelope and quickly read over my results. 

NASTILY EXHAUSTING WIZARDING TEST RESULTS 

PASS GRADES: FAIL GRADES:   
Outstanding (O) Poor (P)  
Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)   
Acceptable (A) Troll (T) 

Lyra Malfoy has achieved: 

Charms O  
Defence Against The Dark Arts O  
Herbology O  
Potions E  
Transfiguration O 

"Did you?" Daphne and I both ask each other as our heads snap up at the same time, we both nod bright smiles taking up our faces as we squeal and jump up and down holding each other's arms excitedly. "Bloody hell can you keep that racket down?" Ron says as he enters the room rubbing at his tired eyes as he hadn't fully woken up yet. 

We're both way too happy to listen to him, "oh girls I'm so proud of you, well done!" Mrs Weasley beams pulling us both into her arms as she kisses our cheeks. "Wow we're smart." Daphne says as we switch results to see what the other had got. I'd been so nervous that I hadn't passed potions, since I'd taken the exam after Sirius's death when I hadn't been able to focus on anything properly. I was sure I had tanked it but I guess I had gotten lucky. 

"So proud! We're going to have a big dinner to celebrate." Mrs Weasley says making me blush as Daphne beams, "thank you!" We tell her in unison, "oh I've got to go and apply at St.Mungos right now, you don't mind watching angel do you?" I ask Mrs Weasley apologetically. "No no of course not, off you go but be sure to be back on time for dinner." I nod and kiss her cheek goodbye waving at the others before I leave. 

I grin once I arrive at the hospital to see it wasn't as busy as it was going to become and I felt a sense of relief knowing I had been one of the first to arrive. We had been required to apply for the position before hand with our predicted grades but we were meant to turn up on the day we got our results so that they could interview us and accept us properly with our achieved grades. 

We also got to pick our mentors and it was first come first served which is why I had to come as soon as possible to ensure that I got madam Pomfrey so that I could do what Dumbledore had asked of me. I was kind of nervous because it'd be my first official mission as a member of the order. 

"Hi, you're here to secure your position as a healer?" I nod at the nice woman who greets me at the desk. She looked fairly young like she wasn't much older than myself and she was really pretty. "What's your name?" She questions kindly brushing one of her dark brown curls from where it'd fallen in the way of her face. "Lyra Malfoy." I answer unfortunately noticing the way she winces at my surname. "Nice to meet you Lyra I'm Marianne Campbell." 

"Alright well you come with me." She instructs picking up some forms and a clipboard before leading me over to an office. "So Lyra, your grades?" She asks still exhibiting her kind smile from earlier, I smile nervously and hand them over. "Wow you're a clever girl Lyra." She praises as she looks them over, "thank you." I say politely not really liking compliments they made me feel awkward, my parents were really smart and it had been no surprise to them to find that had been passed down to both Draco and I, he was actually probably smarter than I was I just worked harder. "They're better than mine were." She continues sending me another smile, "I had to do a foundation year." She tells me with a slight grumble making me nod, not really knowing what to say. 

"Nevermind that now, gosh sorry sometimes I talk too much, don't be shy if you need to tell me to shut up." She says making me nod along again knowing I'd never tell her to shut up. "Anyways back to the matter at hand, your grades are fantastic, which division would you like to work under?" She asks as she scribbles away on the clipboard, "oh um I'm not really sure, but I think I'd like working with children." Marianne beams up at me at that, "that's my division, I'm actually the head children's healer, I got promoted last month." I grin at her, "wow that's amazing congratulations." She beams. 

"Ok so that's almost everything but now you need to pick your mentor." She says sliding over her clipboard to show me a few dozen different healer names with a variety of names already below them. "Madam Pomfrey please." I say making her nod and fill my name in, "that's a good choice, it's a good thing you got here early because she only accepts four trainees and well she's always in high demand, two slots have already been taken." 

"However, you only train at Hogwarts for three of your six days and so you must also pick a St.Mungo healer to train you during your time here." I nod and don't even glance back down at the list, "oh well could I please pick you?" She looks stunned as if those were the last words she had expected to hear leave my mouth. "Me?" She repeats in disbelief, "yes please, if it's no problem." 

"Oh that- that's no problem at all, you're actually the first person to voluntarily pick me, last year no one picked me." She says making me frown slightly, "that's their loss, I'm excited to work with you." She smiles at me gratefully and nods, "I'm excited to work with you too, it's going to go great." I nod, "nice to meet you Lyra, I'll be in touch via owl to give you rest of the details, but you're free to leave now." She grins stamping the forms with a big red stamp that read 'approved.'


	61. Chapter 61

"Lyra what are you doing here!?" Fred asks nervously as he notices I was alone, "visiting my boyfriend?" I question as the worry on his face doesn't ease up. "You know that you shouldn't be travelling alone." He says making me sigh, "I'm fine." I shrug as he checks me over. 

He'd been extra worried about my safety the past few weeks even though Dumbledore had said I should be fine. It made things quite tense between us as my safety started up arguments, ones which never really got resolved or had a winner and a loser it just put us both in a mood and with how we saw each other less and less I just didn't want to fight with him. 

"Did you get your results?" He asks making me grin relived that another argument between us wasn't about to break out. I loved Fred and I understand his concern and I was grateful that he cared but I didn't want to just spend my days shut in my apartment or the burrow, I wanted to get on with my life and help others in anyway possible. Besides training to become a healer took three years and I didn't want to waste those years in hiding not if I could avoid it. 

"Yep!" I grin handing them over to him, "wow you truly are a smarty pants, I'm proud of you." He says before grinning and leaning forward to kiss my temple. "Come with me." He says grabbing my hand and pulling me up towards the flat above the shop. "What are you doing?" I ask as he gestures for George to follow us. "George and I have a surprise for you." I look at him inquisitively but he doesn't say anything more as he leads me up. 

"Ok wait here and keep your eyes closed." He says sitting me down at the table and taking a step away before returning to my side with a sigh, "I should've known better." He mumbles covering my eyes with his hands as he realised I was trying to look. "What are you guys doing? You know that I don't like surprises." I say making them scoff, "rubbish you love surprises."

"Not when they're from you." I feel the anxiety that came with not knowing what they were up to arise in my chest and so I start to take deeper breaths trying to keep myself calm. "Merlin and you say I'm the dramatic one." Fred says with a bit of a laugh as George returns and sets something down on the table in front of me. "Come on Malfoy have a little faith." I scoff, "in you? Never." 

"Darling that hurts, I'm just trying to do something nice for you." 

"You mean we." George corrects. 

I take in a breath as Fred removes his hands, only for me to let it go as I was pleasantly surprised at the sight of a cake. It was a baby pink colour and it looked really nice with blue icing spelling, 'congratulations smarty pants' written across it. "Oh thank you guys this is really swe-" 

However before I could finish my words of thanks the cake exploded all over my face, cutting me off as the twins began laughing hysterically. "Idiots." I mumble shaking my head as I laugh along with them. "You should've seen your face!" George says completely beside himself. "You're not going to want to see yours in a minute." I say making his laughter cease, "you know I've got to get back to the shop, don't think verity can manage much on her own much longer." He says before quickly making his exit. "And what are you laughing at?" I ask turning to Fred who tries and fails miserably to stop his own laughter. "Nothing, so how is it?" He asks shaking his head with a bright smile on his face. 

"It's delicious." I shrug licking my lips, "really let me have a taste. You look delicious." He says stepping forwards with a wink. 

Before he can do anything I quickly grab onto him and begin rubbing face all over his, trying to transfer as much of over as possible. "Now you're the one that looks delicious." I say laughing at the sight as he grins and without saying a word grabs me by the wrist and pulls me into his chest. "Why don't you taste me and find out?" He whispers making my stomach turn in a good way as I meet his gaze, my breath catching in my throat as I think I forgot how to breathe for a second. 

When I don't reply he leans down and kisses me gently, once he pulls away he licks his lips with a smirk, "mmm buttercream, my favourite." As my heart leaps I waste no time in pulling him back to me and connecting our lips again. 

"You drive me mental Malfoy." He says against my lips as we stumble back into his room, "you have no idea what you do to me Weasley." I reply giggling as we trip whilst we were trying to hurriedly get rid of Fred's shirt. "Hurry up." I say between kisses making him laugh, "I know I'm irresistible love but wow." 

"If you don't shut up I swear I'm going to leave." I say making him grab me and throw me onto his bed, "you know you don't want to." He says as I laugh, "I guess you better keep your mouth shut then." 

"I'll do whatever you want me to love."


	62. Chapter 62

I hadn't seen the twins that much over the next few weeks instead spending more time at the burrow with the others, I wished I could see them more but I understood that they were busy, I was going to be very busy too once I started at St.Mungos and Hogwarts in September. 

Daphne had applied to become a potioneer and coincidentally she'd been employed at St.Mungos too although I doubted we'd see each other much as we were going to be working in two separate divisions.

"Hey remember I'm going home to visit my family for the next few days." I nod at Daphne as she gets ready to leave for her shift at the ice cream shop, she hadn't left yet. She thought she'd keep the summer job for a bit longer, I knew she loved it and Florian really and so she'd stay as long as possible. "See you in a few days." I wave from over my book. "Don't miss me too much." 

"It shouldn't be too hard, I may miss the silence when you return though." 

"Very funny." She mutters making me smile at her before she's gone. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I spend the next few hours bored and alone in the apartment, Evangeline was already at the burrow, now that we'd been so often she trusted the Weasleys and had begged me to let her stay over last night. The Weasleys all with a soft spot towards her had also asked me to let her stay over, I didn't object obviously, why even would I? 

I guess I'd gotten a bit attached to her though and it left me extra bored at home I didn't know what I'd do when I finally let her go for good, as much as I loved her I knew that I couldn't keep her forever. I was too young and since the war was approaching I should probably find her somewhere and soon. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey guys." I grin as I arrive outside the burrow to see Harry Ron Hermione and Ginny playing quidditch, they'd been doing that a lot even though Hermione was awful. "Lyra thank merlin you're here! Ron is such a cheater! Please referee for us because you're fair." I catch Harry's eye the two of us grinning amused as Ron and Ginny begin arguing. "Ok ok stop with the arguing or I'm going inside." 

"Lyra can't we just swap, I'll referee and you play." 

"What's the point in that, she's just as bad as you are it wouldn't make much of a difference." My eyebrows raise as I look at Ron who blushes, "n-no offence of course Lyra." 

"No Mione you're playing, and I'm going to referee two games then I'm going in." They nod gratefully as they'd been accusing each other of cheating. "Where's Eva?" Ginny makes a face, "with phlegm." 

"Ginny." She doesn't let me finish my sentence as she rolls her eyes, "yeah yeah, don't call her phlegm I got it." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Once we get inside Mrs Weasley fusses over us and makes the kids go up to get cleaned up. "Oh here you go we don't want you to catch a cold." She says sitting me down and handing me a cup of hot chocolate, "thanks Mrs Weasley." I say as she makes sure I'm comfortable, I notice Fleur watching us again with that sadness at not being accepted in her eye. "I'm sorry." I say to her once Mrs Weasley leaves the room. 

"It is not your fault, Bill he thinks they will love me too but... maybe not so soon." I frown as I see her force a smile, "well if it counts for anything, I love you already." She smiles more genuinely and grabs my hand, "thank you so much Lyra, you have made my time here so much easier. I would feel so much more alone without you." 

I grin when Bill arrives home with his father, his presence brings a look of adoration to Fleurs face all her previous ways gone as he smiles over at his soon to be wife and kisses her in greeting. 

He then turns back to his father as they continue with what they were talking about, I stand quickly, "w-what are you saying about Florian?" I ask hearing how his name had been passed between them, not in the good way. "He uh he's been taken." My eyes widen and I feel my heart leap to my throat as I swallow painfully. 

"When?" 

Nobody replies for a moment, "when?" I repeat feeling as though if I had to wait any longer I'd throw my heart up, "today hours ago." They look slightly confused at my outburst, "j-just Florian?" Daphne was working today, and I hadn't thought to check she was ok because she was going home, it slipped my mind.

"I think so why?" 

I hadn't thought to check on Daphne, why hadn't I thought to check on her? We always checked in on each other. "Lyra what's wrong?" Bill asks noticing my panicked state, "Daph-" I feel sick I couldn't bare the thought of Daphne being in any danger, "Daphne was working today." I manage to get out my hands trembling awfully, so bad that Fleur took them in her own to try and get them still. 

"His shop was empty, looked as though he'd been dragged off I don't know about-" his words just drown out to me as I think of every possible thing that could've happened from good to bad although I had to admit there were way more bad scenarios flickering through my mind right now. 

'Pull yourself together! What help will this do Daphne?' I scold myself as I close my eyes and force myself to stop, stop overthinking and stop shaking. Daphne would be fine she had to be, I couldn't lose anyone else especially not her. 

"Lyra? Lyra it's ok we're going to check that Daphne's ok and at home." I shake my head and run out the front door ignoring their shouts for me to come back. I had to check myself, I had to make sure she was ok. 

I get to the ice cream shop and am beyond shocked to see the state it was left in, glass everywhere and the happy atmosphere from just yesterday seeming like it had been years ago. 

I wince as the glass crunches beneath my feet, but I move on Daphne and I had often made jokes about the best hiding spots in the shop, "Daphne?" I whisper out into the dark, my voice wavering. "Daphne?" My heart sinks as I spot her wand on the ground near the counter.

I shake my head and continue on, Daphne had always said the best hiding spot in the shop had to have been the freezer. I told her that was dumb because it locked automatically from the outside and it'd probably end up freezing you to death. 

I gasp as I pull the freezer door open to see Daphne sat huddled on the ground her knees pushed so far into her chest it had to have been painful. "Daphne." I'd never felt so much relief in my life. 

"T-told you it w-was a g...good hiding place." She stutters out through chattering teeth. Making me laugh, tears of relief falling as I took her into my arms and pulled her from the freezer. 

"I'm so cold." She says leaning into me, "I know, come on I can heal you at home." Her legs give out and I almost fall at the sudden movement but I manage to support her. "Lyra!" Bills voice comes from further in the shop. "I'm here." I say back as I focus on keeping Daphne's freezing body upright. "Oh merlin." He says under his breath as he sees us. "Is she alright?" He asks looking her up and down worriedly, "no but she will be once I get her home." 

"Ok but we've got to go now it isn't safe." 

He steps forwards as Daphne falls further into me, "let me help." He says scooping her up into his arms with ease, if it had been any other occasion I knew Daphne would've been loving this. 

"Merlin you're freezing." He says, "yeah well you spend the day locked in the freezer and see how warm and toasty you get." I grin at her words glad that she was still Daphne. "Right sorry." She smirks with difficulty and pats Bill on the cheek. "I'm just pulling your leg, but can we go home now? I am really freaking cold."


	63. Chapter 63

"Happy birthday Harry!" He groans as I jump onto his bed, "I like you Lyra a lot and so I'm saying this in the kindest way possible...please piss off." I laugh at his grumpy tone, Harry was not a morning person. "Sorry kid but Mrs Weasley sent me to wake you up and I cant leave until I'm certain that you're awake."

"I'm awake." He grumbles trying to cover his face with the blanket but I'm already a step ahead of him. 

"Lyra you're so annoying." 

"Yeah yeah you love me really." He rolls his eyes at me and throws his pillow in my direction, "that wasn't very nice Harold." That earned me another pillow, only I didn't dodge this one in time. 

"Harry you better get your ass out of bed before I'm forced to take matters into my own hands. I've got my wand here and I'm not afraid to use it." He sighs over dramatically making me laugh, "it's my birthday." He moans, "yes and we've let you lie in now don't waste it all in bed." 

"Fine." He says still trying to keep his mood up, but I see the small smile he's failing to hide from me. "I knew you loved me really." I tease pinching his cheeks, "Lyra." 

"Right sorry." I say with a slight smile before feeling a small pain in my chest. "Happy birthday Harry, it's sure to be a great one since you were lucky enough to be blessed by the sight of me first thing." He lets out a small laugh at this and instead of making me feel better it made the pang of pain deepen. "Thanks." I nod ready to leave. 

"Lyra?" 

"Yeah?" I ask turning back around. "I do um... I do appreciate you, you know." He says with an awkward nod, "weirdo." He adds making me laugh. "You love me really." He nods, "yeah I do, thanks for everything Lyra." 

"Happy birthday." I say simply as he hugs me, "I know that you're growing up and stuff but you're still that little fourteen year old who came to me for girl advice." He laughs slightly, "it was good advice." 

"Did you even get the girl?" I question never even having found out, "ah no she'd already been asked, but that doesn't matter now." 

"Why? Cause you've got your eyes on Ginny?" I smirk as his face blushes beet red and he starts stammering out excuses so fast I can't even tell what he's saying. "You can try and deny it all you want but I know when it comes to these things, I get a feeling and the feeling is never wrong." He looks pretty nervous and I find it pretty amusing. "The feeling is never wrong Harold, never." 

"Stop calling me Harold!" 

I laugh as I run from his room before the guilty pain weighed my heart down once more. I loved Harry I did, he was a great kid but I felt guilty. I already had a baby brother and I acted like a big sister to everyone but him. 

I tried, I tried so hard because I love Draco so much and it really hurt to admit that we had drifted, that we were no longer as close as we had been. Draco had always depended on me for everything as we grew up, if he had a nightmare when we were younger it was me he came to. It was me who comforted him and stayed with him until he was no longer afraid. I had always helped my brother with his fears but now I hadn't even seen him since I left Hogwarts, I hadn't even been in contact with him. 

I was a terrible sister, the worst sister. 

I thought about him a lot, I wondered what he and mother were up to since father was in Azkaban and I worried hoping he was safe, he probably was safe, mother would do anything to keep him safe. My family was strange and dark yes but my parents had loved us, a lot. I knew they did, they just didn't really show it. Mother had always been better than father at that but she still wasn't the best. 

Mother had grown up in a non affectionate household as had father actually, both of their families only had reputation in mind. Blood status and the family image was all they had been raised on and so they passed that on to us. Mother definitely believed in these views too but she wasn't as hardcore as father, he really pushed it onto us. 

I'd never really understood it but I went along with their views up until I got to Hogwarts and learned things for myself. Draco however, he'd always gone along with what they said, believing wholeheartedly that they were right just because they were our parents. It also didn't help that his friends and their parents thought the same, he really thought that I was the misguided one and I knew by the time he realised the truth it'd be too late. He was too stubborn and spoiled to listen and so even though I wasn't the fondest of the idea I knew he was just going to have to learn the hard way. 

• • • 

"What's taking him so long?" Evangeline pouts wanting to eat the cake already, "you've got to be patient angel it's his birthday." I say glancing over at her with a small smile, "I don't care I just want cake." 

"Yeah we're hungry." I roll my eyes trying to bite back my smile as Evangeline smiles over at Ron who'd just spoken. "It's ok bumblebee if Harry doesn't come down soon I'll manage to get us some." He whispers horribly making her giggle, I look over to see him quickly shoot her a look to get her to stop laughing as they spot me looking. 

"Oh Lyra dear you wouldn't mind getting the door would you." Mrs Weasley asks me as she rushes past, "not at all." 

"Oh Remus hi you made it." I grin as I open the door, to see him stood on the other side. "Lyra the question." My eyebrows furrow, "huh?" What question? "Lyra we've been over this you have to ask me a question to make sure I'm not a deatheater." Oh right I forgot about that. 

"Well I know you're not a deatheater." I shrug making him raise his eyebrows at me amusement all over his face, "and how do you know that?" 

"Well a deatheater wouldn't be stood there lecturing me about asking him a security question would he?" Remus let's out a small chuckle and nods, "I suppose you have a point there but try to remember the safety precautions, things aren't so safe out there." 

"You got it sir and since you wanted a question so bad where is my lovely cousin?" He almost chokes at my words, oops I guess he didn't know that I knew what was going on between he and Tonks but she had filled me in, we'd grown pretty close recently. She even took me to her house so I could meet her mother and father, my aunt and uncle. It was safe to say aunt Andromeda was easily my favourite of my mums sisters and uncle ted was really nice too. 

"I-I don't know what-" 

"Smooth Professor, so are you still not giving her a shot?" I ask making his face flush, "Lyra." He whisper shouts over to me, "it's a shame Dora's great, you guys would be amazing together and sir you know you like her." 

"Lyra I'm not talking to you about this, you don't understand." He says firmly making me quicken my pcs to keep up with him. "But Remus she really loves you and I know that you feel the same." 

"It's not safe Lyra, I am too old, too dangerous and too poor for her." I scoff, "she doesn't care about any of that." I persist wanting to help Tonks out as much as possible, I had vowed to get them together and I would do everything that I could to ensure it. "Lyra I'm a werewolf." 

"No really? You are Remus? You turn into a wolf each month? I'd just been brewing you wolfsbane potions each month because I thought you liked the taste." He sighs, "she deserves better." He tells me hurt very evident in his voice. "Well for her there is no one better than you, she wants you." He looks like he's about to fight me on this so I continue quickly. 

"Look sir, I know you're worried for her safety and what not but you can't push her away like this. Sirius once told me that you can't help who you fall for and you can't and I know that you think that you don't deserve her but you Professor are one of the best men I have ever met in my entire life and so you do deserve her and so much more." 

"You are kind to me Lyra you always have been but I'm afraid you're mistaken." I want to fight my point more but I'm unable to as Harry makes his way down and his birthday celebrations commence.


	64. Chapter 64

I was nervous because today was my first day at St.Mungos. Originally Daphne and I were supposed to go together but I hadn't really seen her since the whole ice cream shop fiasco. Daphne had lived with her aunt and uncle her whole life, her father passing when she was young and her mother abandoning her they took her in happily and had cared for as though she were their own daughter. 

They were also very protective and so she'd been staying with them for the past few weeks because they refused to let her out of their sights. I had wanted to see her but decided against it not wanting to place any flags on her family's home, she'd be fine and hopefully I'd see her at work today. 

That felt so weird to say, at work oh merlin I was growing up, like actually growing up I was going to be healer in a few years not that little eleven year old who'd been admiring the Weasleys at the train station on September 1st those seven years ago.

I look around my empty apartment and sigh ready to get out of here already, it just wasn't the same without Daphne and even Evangeline who'd been staying with the Weasleys a bit more as I wasn't going to be able to care for the way I had been the past few months. 

"Lyra!" I grin once I spot who'd been calling me, "Marianne hey." I say as she comes over excitedly. "You're the first one here from our team." My eyebrows raise, "you got a team? That's great." She nods along beaming, "yeah yeah it's going to be so much fun." 

I sigh as I look around the empty locker room I was either the first one here or whoever else had arrived had changed into their robes quickly and were already with their mentor. "Woah!" I jump and quickly hold my shirt to my chest, "woah!" I repeat meeting wide wide brown eyes. 

"Nice b-" 

"No!" We stare at each other in shock for a moment longer, "w-what are you doing in here?" I ask after finally collecting my thoughts my hands holding my shirt tightly to my chest. "I was told to come in here and change into the healer robes?" He says his eyes roaming over my body once more before he re meets my eyes and smirks. 

"You might wanna put your shirt on before anyone else gets here, but I'm not complaining if you don't." He winks making me roll my eyes. "Stop watching me!" I snap making him nod and hold his hands up before turning to the locker labelled with his name. 

"Woah!" I groan as another boy enters only to slap his hands over his face and whirl around, "I-I'm so sorry." He says as the first boy laughs turning to face me his shirt now discarded. "Not a word." I say noticing the smirk on his face. 

I quickly pull my robes on before anyone else can enter the room letting the second boy know I was decent. "I'm sorry, it's just I didn't know that this was going to be a mixed locker room." I nod and smile over at him, "yeah I didn't either but it's ok, we're all adults here right? We can be mature about it." I say trying to lighten the mood knowing I'd full well just come to work already in the uniform from today onwards. 

"I'm Spencer Hollick." I smile and take his outstretched hand, "Lyra Malfoy." His red cheeks paling slightly at the surname making me want to roll my eyes, "oh... nice to meet you." He was scared. Great. 

"Well Lyra I'm Noah Anderson and I was wondering if you'd like to go and get a few drinks with me later on." I roll my eyes as Noah leans against the locker beside mine and smiles down at me suggestively, "as horrible as that sounds I'm not interested." I tell him pushing his bare chest away from me with a sarcastic smile. 

"Oh but you will be." He winks making me roll my eyes, "I doubt that now get changed." He mock salutes and pulls his robes from his locker as I meet Spencer's wide and nervous hazel eyes. "Good luck today." I say with a kind smile as I make my way to the door hoping he wont be scared of me for much longer. 

"Where's my good luck." I roll my eyes again at the boy behind me. "Noah I'm going to tell you this plain and simple, it's never going to happen, I have a boyfriend." He doesn't look too disheartened instead his blue eyes seem to sparkle just a bit more. 

"You do? How's he going to feel with all the long hours you're putting in? You know not a lot of healer non healer relationships work out, especially when you're just in training. So when that relationship falls apart which it will I'll be here waiting for you baby." I scoff and quicken my pace trying to get back to Marianne. "I wouldn't count on it." 

"Sophia?" I ask spotting the familiar girl stood with Marianne, "Lyra!" She beams wrapping me up in her arms, "oh the two of you know each other? Wonderful." Marianne says as she watches the two of us reunite, "is Sophia apart of our team?" I ask kind of excited to have a familiar face here with me. "Indeed she is, as are Noah, Henry and Spencer here." I have to refrain from rolling my eyes as Noah winks over at me as he and Spencer approach. "Wonderful." I mutter under my breath wishing to have anyone else but him here. 

"Ok so it's your first day and I have an immense amount of trust and belief in you guys so don't let me down." We all nod as we share a hesitant glance, "what you see is not going to be the prettiest but you have to remember to try and not react around the patients." 

"Remember the four C's always, calm cool, collected and compassion. You live by those words now, they are your mantra, your life. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Great. Noah, Lyra you're on floor four with healer Phoenix today." I refrain from another eye roll as Noah grins at me excitedly, "Spencer you're on third, Sophia on second leaving Henry on first with me." 

"You know Lyra the green robes, wow do they compliment you." I roll my eyes as Noah and I begin to make our way to the fourth floor. Fourth floor was for permanent spell damage, the cases with no hope of a full recovery although with intensive remedial potions and charms and a bit of luck, some improvement could be produced.

"Don't ignore me baby it hurts my feelings." I turn around to face him really not in the mood, "don't call me baby! We have an eighteen hour shift and I am not going to stay nice with you for eighteen hours, forget three years, if you're going to keep speaking to me like that." 

"Sorry, I'll stop." He says making me nod, "thank you." 

"But anytime you change your mind just let me know." I let out a laugh and roll my eyes at him, "don't hold your breath."


	65. Chapter 65

"So we're halfway done how does everyone feel?" I look up from my arm which I had splayed across the table to see Sophia joining us excitedly, how was she not tired? 

"Well I don't know about you but spending nine hours with Lyra is as magical as it sounds." I whack Noah's arm as he smirks from beside me and bites into his sandwich. "The food here sucks." He complains a second later, "you suck." He winks at me, "only if you want me to." I roll my eyes as Spencer laughs, shutting up quickly once we all look at him. He nervously stammers as his cheeks burn a bright red. 

"Henry and I got to scrub in, on an operation!" I sit up properly now at Sophia's words. "You did? That's great, what was it like?" I question as everyone at the table listens in eagerly, "a small kid was attacked by a manticore, luckily he wasn't stung but it had devoured half of his stomach." My eyes widen, a real manticore? They were so rare.

"Cool." I whack Noah again, "that's not cool, how is he?" I ask turning back to Sophia who tells us the story wide eyed and animatedly, luckily the boy had survived. "Wow that's intense." Spencer says, "I heard another trainee killed a patient in surgery." I turn to Noah confused, "where did you hear this?" We'd literally been stuck on the same floor for the past nine hours. "Some nurses." He winks making me roll my eyes, he had been flirting an awful lot during our shift so no surprise there. 

"It's not nice to gossip." I say, "it's not gossip, it's news." Noah shrugs, "it's true, we all heard about it, it was a trainee from healer Greenwood's group, it was an accident but I don't know how they're going to live it down." I frown, "anyways how has your day been Spencer." He shrugs, "well I've just been working with potions, helping make some and administrating them, looking for cures for others nothing too exciting." I nod, "Henry what about you? How did you find the surgery?" I ask the quiet boy, he'd been silent this whole time and he was pretty intimidating but I didn't want him to feel left out. "Sophia covered it all." He says with a slight smile making me nod. 

"Well what about you guys? How's the fourth floor?" Spencer asks noticing Henry's discomfort, "it's ok same as you really just giving checkups seeing if any improvements have been made." Noah scoffs, "Lyra got lucky, I think it's cause healer Phoenix has the hots for her, which is understandable but I'm stuck with the whack jobs." I slap Noah once more on the arm as he begins to mock some of the patients he had to deal with. "Don't be so rude, those are injured people you're talking about." 

"What are you even doing here?" I ask, "I'm here to help people same as you." He answers, "yeah that's what it seems like." Spencer and Sophia quickly interrupt, "so what made you come over here?" Sophia asks the two Americans. "Well st mungos is one of the best hospitals in the world and I want to be the best." Noah's answer was typical. "My parents are uh divorced and my mum and brother live here so I wanted to be closer to them." I nod at Spencer's story, "oh sorry about that." He shrugs, "they divorced when we were kids I don't even remember them ever being together, I didn't even know I had a twin brother till we met accidentally a few years ago." 

"Oh like the parent trap." Sophia and I share a glance, a confused glance at Noah's words. "The what?" We ask, "it's a no maj movie." We share yet another glance and even Henry looks confused. "A what?" Noah rolls his eyes. "A non magical person do you not have them in England?" 

"We call them muggles." He scoffs, "that's stupid." I roll my eyes, "you're stupid." He scoffs again, "you're stupid." He repeats my words, "very mature." He smirks and continues to mimic me, "keep it up and I'll punch you." 

"Anyways so America that's exciting right, what was school like there?" Sophia cuts in again. "Illvermony is the best wizarding school in the world." Noah says confidently making me roll my eyes, "not likely Hogwarts beats every school out there." I reply making Sophia nod along. "Spence come on tell them." Spencer looks at us conflicted, "w-well I don't know, Illvermony was great but from what Adam told me about Hogwarts..." he trails off and so we take that as a vote for Hogwarts. 

"Traitor." Noah mumbles glaring at him, "wait did you say Adam?" I ask, "your brother is Adam hollick?" I ask ignoring Noah, "y-yeah that's my brother, why do you know him?" Sophia's eyes flash with recognition, "yeah we know him, he dated our friend Daphne, well he was her date to the Yule ball I don't think the two spoke again after." 

"Yule ball?" Nobody pays Noah any attention as we continue speaking amongst ourselves, "oh she's that slythering girl he told me about." Sophia and I smile at each other before correcting him, "Slytherin." 

"You know you do look quite alike." I say observing him for a second, "well they are twins." I roll my eyes. "They're not identical."

"Slytherin?" I spare Noah a glance, "our school houses." He looks a bit interested actually. "What house were you in?" He asks, "Slytherin." Sophia and I say in unison, "Lyra and I were actually dorm mates." Sophia says happily, "what about you Henry?" I'd seen Henry around school a few times he was in the year above us and in Gryffindor and so we hadn't really spoken much but he had been friends with Cedric. 

"Which one is Harry Potter in?" My eyes narrow, "non of your business." I reply at the same time as Sophia had answered him. 

"Oh have I hit a nerve there?" Noah asks as Spencer and Sophia share a worried glance, "is Harry Potter the boyfriend." I roll my eyes, "don't be stupid he's a kid." 

"You care for him do you?" I glare at Noah not finding it as entertaining as he was, "it's non of your business." I repeat as he stares at me for a second. "Or are you trying to get him for you know who, your dad is deatheater isn't he?" My jaw clenches as the table goes silent and they stare between us. 

"It is non of your business." I seethe as watches me expectantly, "are you going to set daddy on me? He's not going to be able to do much from his cell in Azkaban is he." I stay silent trying to keep my calm, "show us your arm Lyra." 

"Hey! That is enough, you're bang out of line Noah, leave her alone." I'm not the only one surprised to see it's Henry who speaks out his voice is deep with authority and intimidation that Noah is rendered speechless as he nods. "You're a dick." I spit rolling my sleeves up to show him my arms that were clean of the dark mark before throwing the rest of my lunch on him. 

"And thank you Henry." I say before I leave the table and decide to get back to work early hearing Spencer and Sophia reprimand Noah as I left.

"Hey healer Phoenix would it be ok if Noah and I switched patients?" I ask the older man not liking how Noah had spoken of them earlier. "That's fine, take beds 1 onwards." He says handing me the files. 

"Thanks sir." He shakes his head and sends me a smile, "no worries I suppose he's been complaining about it hasn't he?" I nod, "yeah he reminds of myself that boy, you're doing a nice thing for him Lyra." I wasn't doing it for him. I was doing it for the patients who deserved someone that wouldn't mock them. 

"Hello, my names Lyra and today I'll be..." My mouth drops at the patient sat in the chair before me. "Professor Lockheart?" My fourth year defence against the dark arts teacher was sat looking out of it as he absentmindedly doodled autographs on pictures of himself. "Do you know me?" I blink for a second in surprise. "Yes, you were my teacher four years ago." He nods, "ah yes they told me I was a teacher, was I a very good one?" He was not a good teacher not in the slightest. "Uh yes you were." That may have been the biggest lie I've ever told, Professor lockheart was the worst teacher we've ever had like even worse than Quirell and he had Voldemort on the back of his head. 

"Sir I'd love to stay here and chat but I have to give you your treatments and do your checkup." He nods and allows me to do what I'm required to do. "Here take an autograph, I'm famous you know." He was a fraud that's what I knew, Ron had told me how he wiped the memories of the people who actually did the things he wrote about in his famous books. He just took the credit. "Thanks sir." I say taking the stupid picture with a polite smile. "No thank you Lyra was it? I'm sure you were my favourite student." I hold back a laugh, he hadn't been very fond of me as I was the only female student who didn't fancy the pants off him and fawn all over him. 

I move over to the last two patients on my side as Noah makes his way back to the ward. He meets my eye but I turn away not wanting to talk to him, what he'd said was so unnecessary and I just really wasn't in the mood.


	66. Chapter 66

"Hi there." I say to the two dazed patients, they don't give any indication that they heard me so I tentatively move towards the man, I had recognised their names off the charts, my heart was hammering so hard in my chest because these were Neville parents and it was my aunts fault that they were in this position right now. She'd used the crucio curse on them until they had gone insane. 

I speak softly to Mr Longbottom as I administer his treatments and check to see if there'd been any improvement, I had wished so hard that there had or that there would be. I continue on with a heavy heart, telling them stories of their son, their son who they didn't even know. I take all the rubbish Mrs longbottom hands me with a smile, she has her own confused smile on her worn out face and she mumbles unintelligible things under her breath as I do my job but I keep my smile the whole time and stay patient with her as I ignore Noah who as watching us. 

"Do you not have patients to check on?" I finally snap as Mrs longbottom begins messing with the sleeves of my robes before moving to my hair. "How do you do it?" He asks me after a second, "do what?" What was he even talking about now? "How do you stay so patient with her, she won't leave you alone." I spare him a glance as he watches me curiously, "it's not her fault, she's not doing this because she wants to, do you think she wants to be here sat in a hospital out of her mind not even able to speak? Her and her husband are people, good people. And unlike you they are not harassing me for entertainment, or whatever it is you're harassing me for." 

"I don't know what you think you know about me but you don't, you don't know anything I am here to help, help whoever I can because I try, I try to be a good person just like these brave people sat here. I want to be a good person and just because my father is a piece of shit, that doesn't mean you can draw your own conclusions on me, I'm Lyra Malfoy I am me, I am who I want to be.  
I am not just my fathers daughter, I am better, I know better." He doesn't say anything instead he looks down avoiding my eye now there isn't a trace of amusement or smugness anywhere on his face. 

"And yes I may be close to Harry Potter and I may care for the young boy but that is non of your business my private life is non of your business, if we are going to be working closely together for the next three years then you are going to have to grow up, we're not in school anymore and your charming bad boy without a care act won't impress many people, this is a serious job and if you were serious about wanting to help people then I suggest you work on it because mocking patients who don't deserve that isn't helping anyone." 

"Do you know who these people are?" I ask him receiving a shake of his head in response, "this is Frank and Alice longbottom, two very brave aurors who are this way because they refused to give up information to you know who, they suffered countless amounts of torture the cruciatus curse was used on them a lot, until they couldn't take it and the pain made them lose their minds. They don't even know who they are anymore." He looks really guilty for mocking them beforehand now. 

"You're right I'm sorry, I was actually coming here to apologise to you what I said out there to you, it was unacceptable I don't know why I said it, it wasn't funny, it was rude I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for the flirting but that's just a joke it's how I act around everyone I don't mean it, I respect that you have a boyfriend but if it makes you uncomfortable I won't do it anymore, I really am sorry Lyra. If we are going to be working on the same team for three years then I don't want to have ruined everything I heard that your trainee teams become your family and I don't want to have ruined the family." I watch him for a second noticing how he's being sincere. 

"Since we're going to be stuck together for three years I'm giving you one more chance, a blank slate but this is all you're getting." He grins appreciatively at me as I hold my hand out, "hi I'm Lyra Malfoy." He wastes no time in taking my hand with a grateful smile, "I'm Noah Anderson." 

"Nice to meet you Noah." He nods, "nice to meet you too Lyra, do you want to go out for drinks after our shift." I shake my head with an amused but disbelieving smile, "nice try Noah but I have a boyfriend one whom I love very much." 

"Well isn't he a lucky guy." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So can we get back to this whole house discussion we never got to finish." The five of us had found ourselves together as we sat exhausted waiting to be paged by our superiors. "Which house is the best?" 

"Slytherin." Sophia and I say immediately as Henry answers Gryffindor and Spencer answers Ravenclaw. "You don't get an opinion you didn't come to our school." Sophia tells him making me laugh, "well my brother was in Ravenclaw." We all shake our heads, "no your vote doesn't count." He shakes his head, "well you're all biasedly voting for your own houses." 

"I'm voting for Slytherin because it is the best." I say leaning my head against the wall, "no Gryffindor is the best." This was the most Henry had spoken to us so far, "don't start with me right now Henry we all know Gryffindor isn't the best house, you're all just brave idiots." He pushes my shoulder with a bit of a laugh, "better a brave idiot than a sneaky snake." 

"Don't stereotype us, we are not sneaky snakes." I reply making him role his eyes, "like you just stereotyped us?" He asks raising his brow, "you got me there but come on Henry you know Gryffindor isn't the best." 

"Ok you can't pick your own house which other would you vote for?" He asks making me think, "Hufflepuff." He nods, "yeah Hufflepuff is a good house." He says quietly after a moment. "Yeah I like Hufflepuff too."  
Sophia adds making the two Americans nod, "so Hufflepuff then?" We nod. "It's funny you chose Hufflepuff when you're dating a Gryffindor." 

"You're dating a Gryffindor after all the distaste you showed for them?" I laugh, "relax I didn't hate on you I just said they weren't the best house, my boyfriend unfortunately is a brave idiot but he's my brave idiot." I say with a shrug making Henry scoff, "disgusting." 

"So which Gryffindor caught your heart?" I place my hand on my chin for a second, "don't know if I should tell you." I say making him roll his eyes. "Was it Fred by any chance?" My eyebrows raise, "how did you know?" He smirks, "there's always been something between the two of you ever since third year when he dyed your skin green and you screamed that you were going to kill him in his sleep." I roll my eyes thinking of that, "that's because he did it the morning of my first date with Adrian." 

"Because he was jealous duh, he never shut up about you it was so irritating." Sophia giggles, "if you think that's bad she's been in love with him since second year, in first year she was in love with his older brother you remember Charlie." I glare at her, "Sophia!" She shrugs, "you were."

"And what about you and-" she cuts me off by slapping her hand over my mouth making me laugh. "Hold on you had a crush on Charlie?" I roll my eyes, "that was years ago it faded as soon as he left." It was nothing serious, "oh I get it if you can't get one go for the brother right?" I laugh and shake my head, "no! Don't be stupid, Charlie was just a little crush, but Fred is everything to me." 

"So you really like this guy then?" Noah asks, I'd forgotten that he and Spencer had even been here, "yeah I love him, he's my soulmate." He nods with a smile. "Oh look at that healer Phoenix needs me." I say running off from the group at my signal. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Eighteen hours done, how do we feel?" I flop down onto the bench in the locker room already ready as the others are still changing or getting their things together. "Tired." I mumble ready to sleep even here on the bench. "I feel great." I glare over at Sophia who was still hyper, "yeah I'm with malfoy, I can't wait to get home and just sleep." 

"Same." The other two boys chorus, "I can't wait to come back tomorrow." I shake my head and laugh, "you're one of a kind Soph." I say before we all begin to make our way out of the locker room. "Well see you guys tomorrow." I say as we make our way out of the hospital, "see you tomorrow." They wave before we all split up. 

I apparate to the twins flat above the shop, I just didn't want to go to an empty home today, besides Fred said he'd wait up for me. Once I get to his bedroom I see that he's already fast asleep, soft breaths leaving his slightly parted mouth. He looked so peaceful, I couldn't wait to sleep like that, we'd been allowed to nap in the sleep rooms but it did not ease the exhaustion. 

"Hey, how was your first day." Fred mumbles sleepily as I climb into the bed beside him, "tiring." I say through a yawn making him smile and kiss my head before wrapping his arm around me. "Let's sleep then we can talk about it tomorrow." I nod and bury my face into his neck as he pulls me closer. "Goodnight, I love you." I smile and kiss him softly before laying my head back down and closing my eyes. "Love you too."


	67. Chapter 67

"I'm too tired to go back today." I complain as I sit in the kitchen with Fred the next morning, "I thought you loved your job." He asks kissing my temple as he sets breakfast down in front of me. "First of all it's only been a day and secondly I said that I was too tired." I groan my head dropping onto my arms making him chuckle. "Isn't your next shift 48 hours." I groan even louder, "Don't remind me, that's next week today it's just ten today." He makes a face, "that's long." I nod, "you're telling me. But it's ok because then the week after I shall be going to Hogwarts for half the week." I say trying to be optimistic. 

"Why are you even going back to Hogwarts?" He asks curiously, "for experience, it's one of the best places to train if you wanna specialise in children's healing also I have order business to attend to there." He leans forward in interest. "Order business? What order business?" 

"Sorry but that's confidential, between Dumbledore and I." I say with a smirk as he doesn't give up trying to get it from me. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone." 

"Come on darling I'm not just anyone, I'm your boyfriend." I nod, "really? You are? That's news to me." He rolls his eyes but I see the small smile on his face, "very funny." I lean forwards resting my head in my palm. "I love you but I can't tell you, sorry." He shrugs and leans forward to peck my lips, "that's ok but it means you can't have my breakfast." He says sliding the plate away from me. 

"Fred!" I gasp reaching for it but he only laughs and pulls out his wand so that he could have it float away from me. "Sorry." He mocks how I'd unapologetically apologised to him before, a bit of laughter in his voice. "Mmmm." He teases as he takes a bite making me roll my eyes. 

"Wait- Lyra where are you going?" He asks after I get up, "to work?" He sits me back down and slides the plate back over to me, "not without eating." I smirk as I lean into my palm again. "You're weak Weasley." It's my turn to tease him now and his to roll his eyes. 

"Nah I just love you too much and can't let you go knowing how much you love, and how much you need breakfast because you need the energy." I can't help the cheesy grin that takes over my face, "you're too good to me." He shrugs with a loving smile as he kisses my forehead making me smile. It was the small things like this that were everything to me. 

"You deserve it and so much more." 

"I don't remember asking for a cheesy breakfast." George says joining us with a yawn, "hey George, sleep well?" I smile ignoring his quip towards us, "surprisingly yeah, I guess it's because the two of you weren't being so loud last night, for once." My stomach churns in embarrassment and my face burns as George smirks at us, "George!" He laughs as Fred throws the dishcloth at him. 

"Ok well I'm leaving now." I say standing and quickly kissing Fred, "do you want me to wait up for you?" I shake my head, "I'm going home today," he gives me an uncertain look. "I'll be fine, I'm literally gonna go home and sleep for as long as possible before getting up again for a crazy long shift." 

"You know speaking of your home, have you uh spoken to Daphne recently?" My lips pull up at George's question before I remember that I had not spoken to my best friend in what felt like forever. "Uh no, but she should be fine, her family's just very protective and I'm sure that I'll see her soon." I mean I hoped that I'd see her soon walking past her empty room was hell at home, the apartment we had was big, like really big and so it was extra lonely when you wandered around it alone.

"Anyways, I don't want to be late so see you guys later, have a good day at work." I smile at the two who mirror my actions, "you too." Fred says before pulling me back into him and kissing me which makes George groan in annoyance. "He's just mad that he doesn't have Daphne." George's whole face floods red as he makes a face and throws a piece of toast at Fred. "That's not true!" He exclaims his voice even raising an octave. "Aww you like Daphne? That's great I wonder what she'll say." I say with a smirk, making George's eyes widen. 

"Don't tell her anything! I mean it Lyra." I continue smirking, "but she'll be pleased." His face changes for a moment, "why has she said anything about me?" I don't answer and instead make my way to the door. "Lyra come back! Did she say something about me?"

"Sorry I'm going to be late." I say hearing Fred laugh loudly at his brother. 

"Lyra!" 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra you're late!" My eyes widen as Marianne glares at me, I'd never seen her angry before and it was kinda scary. I glare at Noah who snickers into his hand from beside me. "I'm so sorry." I didn't really have an excuse to being late, "it's fine, you're on floor three today." I nod not wanting to say anything that would irritate her further. 

"What's up with Marianne?" I whisper over to Spencer who was on the other side of me, "I'm not sure uh she's been like this since we got here." 

"Maybe it was the fact that one of my trainees were late?" Both Spencer and I jump at her words. "Right sorry." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"There's a problem with this patient, potion gone wrong take samples and drop it off to one of the potion makers." One of the healers instructs handing me a chart of the new patient that was being rolled in. "On it." 

"Uh I was told to drop these samples off here so you could figure out what was wrong with the new patient and make an antidote." I say not looking up from the chart just to ensure that I'd filled it out correctly and wasn't missing anything. 

"Yeah pass it over." I look up quickly knowing that voice, I'd recognise it anywhere. "Daphne?" Her head also snaps up, "Lyra!" I grin, "you're here!" 

"I'm here, ugh I had to miss my first day yesterday because of aunt lulu but I managed to get out thank merlin, so I can come home today." I can't help and hug her, "oh thank merlin it's so lonely without you." She nods, "I missed you so much, I felt like I was trapped in Azkaban or something I couldn't do anything and it was so infuriating." 

"You mean the way you were with me?" She nudges my shoulder, "hey you were allowed to go to the burrow, the farthest I was allowed to go to was the bathroom." I laugh and nod remembering why I was here. "We can catch up later, we can have lunch together but we're both on the job right now. Here is the vial have fun trying to figure out the antidote." 

"It will be fun though, it's kind of like a puzzle, anyways leave so I can get to work, I'm so glad you got to me first, the other new potion maker just left and she's missing out on this. Haha what a sucker!" I smile and watch amusedly as she excitedly runs over to her desk pulls her goggles on, opens the vial and tips it into her little cauldron. 

"Oh what is-" My question is caught in my throat as a foul smell emits from the sample and the two of us lock eyes as we gag at the smell. "What the hell is that?" I say my voice muffled as I quickly cover my mouth and nose with my sleeve "I uh don't know, but it's rank ugh, what the hell did this person do?" 

"I love you but I chat stay any longer this is-" I gag again and turn towards the door, "yeah yeah love you too see you at lunch."

"I don't know if I'll have much of an appetite after this though."


	68. Chapter 68

"Oh my god, you didn't tell me that they were all hot." Daphne hisses as she joins us at our table at lunch. "What? Daphne relax." I whisper back. "Hey what're you two pretty ladies whispering about, could it be my and my good looks by any chance?" Noah asks with a wink making me roll my eyes, "you wish." He nods with another wink as he throws a grape into his mouth.

"I'm Noah and you are?" He asks taking Daphne's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it, "down boy." I say pushing him away not wanting him to try anything with her, I was going to get her with George we didn't need any distractions especially not any manwhore type of distractions like Noah. 

"This is Daphne guys, she works up in potions." Daphne gives a little salute as she greets the others, I notice Spencer sit forward intrigued. "This is Daphne? The Daphne?" Daphne turns to me intrigued at Spencer's intrigue. "Yes this is the Daphne." I say with a slight laugh, "have you been talking about me Lyra?" She asks with smirk, "no." I say with a slight eye roll, "well you should've." She murmurs quietly. 

"You went with Spencer's brother to the Yule ball." Her eyebrows furrow, "Adam has a brother?" Spencer nods nervously, "yeah that would be me." She smiles, "a cute American brother?" She says her smile increasing at his accent, "I'm also American." Noah interjects making me roll my eyes. 

"They're actually twins." 

"Oh you have a thing for twins don't you?" I try to ignore the way my cheeks heat up at her words, "you do too don't you." I bite back making her mouth shut as she glares at me. "Daphne?" We turn to see Sophia approaching the table with a huge grin on her face, "Sophia." They reunite, "this is great, it's just like old times we're just missing Kat and Morgan." Daphne rolls her eyes, "let's be glad Morgan isn't here." I nudge her seeing the slight change in Sophia's expression. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra oh my they're so hot." I laugh as the two of us make our way back to the third floor, "how do you work and hang out around them, you're always the lucky one all I get is to share an office with a little mousy girl who won't even look at me, let alone speak." 

"Boo hoo, shall we cry for poor Daphne?" she pushes me as I laugh, "it's just such a waste because you don't even spare them a second glance." I shrug, "I don't need to, I have Fred." She rolls her eyes, "like I said such a waste." I roll my eyes and push her back, "you focus on your job." 

"Well that'll be easy since I didn't get any hot guys to distract me." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You know this isn't what I had in mind for my one day off." I say leaning over the counter as my boyfriend walks past, "but you don't mind because you love me?" I roll my eyes but nod, "sure." I say as he quickly pecks my lips and continues his way through the shop to the many many customers scattered around. "Thanks love you." He shouts over his shoulder, I shake my head with a smile as I pack the bag with products and hand it over to the eager child waiting on the other end of the till. 

I thought I could enjoy my day off by relaxing, catching up on the many hours of sleep that I missed during my shifts but no here I was working the till at the twins shop. 

I lean my head in my hand and watch with a smile as I watch Fred and George interact with the many many children in the shop. It was lovely to watch and it really made me smile, he made me smile and he did it so effortlessly. Before I met him I didn't know what it was like to look at someone and just smile for no reason. 

I did now, I could see him, even just a small glimpse and my lips would already be tugging upwards. He was so perfect to me, like an exhibit in a gallery that I would stare at him for hours not able to find a single complaint. 

"Lyra?" My attention is torn from one red head just to encounter another, "what are you doing here? I mean besides ogling Fred." Hermione nudges Ron as he and Harry laugh, "very funny, I'm working." I say pointing to the uniform robes that I was wearing. "Why? Are you dropping out of St.Mungos, don't worry we understand it's very difficult." I roll my eyes, "I'm not dropping out of St.Mungos, I'm being nice, although I'm going home soon." I say with a bit of a yawn. "No don't go home, come back to the burrow with us." I look at the three kids intrigued, "we've missed you." I feel my heart warm and I smile at the three, "fine, I'll come hang out for a bit." 

"Brilliant." Harry smiles as do the other two, "ok you guys go look around whilst I get someone to replace me."

We split up me going to the back to hang up the uniform robe and the kids looking around the shop they'd so anxiously been waiting to see.

"Oh Lyra you haven't seen Ron Harry and Hermione have you?" Mrs Weasley suddenly asks as I renter the front of the shop to see her along with her daughter and husband, "I saw them not too long ago, they can't have got far. Don't worry Mrs Weasley it's pretty easy to get lost in here, I'm sure they'll turn up soon." I say trying to ease her nerves. It wasn't really the safest out so I understood why she was so fearful for the three. 

"Well when I get my hands on Ron he's going to wish he never showed up." I look at Ginny my eyebrows slightly raised, "what's he done now?" I ask, "he's been gossiping about me to Fred and George, told them about how I was dating Dean." My smile almost drops knowing it was I who had divulged on that information to Fred. Merlin him and his stupid fat mouth that he could never keep shut, this is why I never told him anything. I wasn't going to let her know that though. 

Not now, not ever.

"Ugh boys suck." I say making her nod in agreement. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So where did you guys really run off to?" I ask the trio once o catch them sneaking back into the shop, they'd fooled the parents by saying they'd been in the shop the whole time. "We were in the back." I give them a stare for a couple of seconds, "I watched you sneak back in from outside of the shop, the back is that way." I say pointing over my shoulder as my eyes narrow at them. 

"We just wanted some fresh air, it's so crammed in here." I shrug that was fair, it was pretty overwhelming in the busy shop. "You kids ready to go?" We all nod at Mrs Weasley who escorts us home eagerly. 

"Lyra!" I grin as Evangeline comes barrelling towards me, she'd stayed behind with Bill and Fleur. "Angel!" I shout just excited as I lift her up into my arms. "Oh you're getting pretty heavy there angel, you're growing up." I smile as she giggles. She looked mostly the same just a tiny bit bigger, her brown eyes still wide and full of innocence and wonder. And her hair was a bit of a lighter ginger thank it had been when I had last seen it. But her curls still fell into her face messily. She had changed so much yet so little in the short time we had spent apart. 

She looked like she could've been a Weasley kid herself, the only ones standing out would be Fleur and I both with our bright whiteish platinum hair in the house full of redheads.

"I missed you so much." She says over dramatically making me smile, "I missed you too." From then on She refuses to let me go talking to spending all her time attached to me not that I minded. I also spent a lot of time talking about my new job to everyone else who listened all of them very intrigued with the different cases I handled daily. 

"You know Lyra when we left the twins shop we saw something... something really odd." I look at Harry in concern as his two best friends keep making faces at him to try and stop him from telling me what he was about to. 

"What was it?" I ask not missing the silent conversation that seems to be going on between the three of them. "We saw D-" Hermione kicks him sharply glaring as she tells him to shut up. "Um I'm going to go and put Evangeline site somewhere comfortable." I say standing with the now sleeping toddler in my arms, glad to have a distraction that allowed me to leave the awkward atmospheric behind. 

"Honestly Harry what did we say? You can't tell Lyra about whatever you think you saw." My eyebrows furrow as I listen to the trios conversation, I hadn't meant to but they began speaking very loudly. "Yeah mate you know how she gets when it comes to her brother, the guy may be a slimy git but she loves him." Ron adds. 

"Besides we don't even know what he was doing, let's not hurt Lyra by throwing around accusations on Draco." I chew on my lip as I replay what I had just heard in my head. What were they saying about Draco? He wasn't in any trouble was he? Merlin I hoped not.


	69. Chapter 69

"What are you doing here, why aren't you at work?" I ask in confusion once I spot Spencer and Noah walk up to me, I was going to Hogwarts today and I was nervous to see Draco but kind of excited I missed him so much. 

"We are at work, or well we will be soon, we're going to Hogwarts." I stare at the two of them for a second, "you guys are being serious?" Spencer nods, "I wanted to see where my brother grew up so I chose it on application day." Spencer says making me turn to Noah, "I'm gonna specialise in children care." He shrugs making my eyebrows raise, "really?" I didn't expect that but then again looking back he was great with younger patients. 

"Are you coming to Hogwarts too?" Spencer rolls his eyes at Noah's question, "well duh why else would she be here?" I laugh slightly at the look on Noah's face and also on how the two start to bicker like children. 

"Ok, ok both of you stop it now." I say pushing my way between them, the bickering getting old fast. "So at Hogwarts you'll show us around right, give us a tour?" I smile at Spencer, "sure, I'll show you around Spencer." I say making said boy beam at me as Noah pouts. "What about me?" I ignore him and his scoff that follows as I continue to converse with Spencer. 

"So what time are you guys going?" I ask, technically we started tomorrow but we were asked to come in a day early to settle in and stuff but we could choose whatever time we wanted. "We're not really sure but soon?" 

"What was it like your first time going? Adam told me this amazing story about boats or something." I nod with a smile and explain the experience to the both of them. "Wow." I nod an idea forming in my mind. "You know what you guys don't go till later ok? I have something to do but we should all go together you know so the two of you don't get lost." They nod with nonchalant shrugs and so I keep my excitement hidden as I leave them together instructing that they wait for my return.

I get to Hogwarts as fast as I can, "miss Malfoy?" My attention is caught by professor McGonagall who is watching me curiously, "oh hi professor." I smile at seeing the woman, "miss Malfoy what are you doing here? You are no longer a student." I laugh which causes her confusion to deepen. "Oh sorry professor but I'm here as one of the trainee healers who's going to train under madam Pomfrey." 

"Oh alright, that's wonderful I always knew you'd make an excellent healer." She says, "thanks professor, whisky I have you, you don't happen to know the password to Dumbledore's office?" I ask. "It's Acid pops dear." 

"Thanks professor." I say quickly before running in the direction of the office, "miss Malfoy, you may not be a student of mine anymore but please refrain from running in the corridors, this is not a playground." I nod, as McGonagall calls out after me, "right sorry." I say slowing my pace but once she's gone from my view I break back out into my run. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Ok I'm back you guys ready to go?" I say once I get back to my two friends, "Spencer!" I whisper shout trying to wake him, he'd fallen asleep with his head on the table. I look around trying to find Noah, I do he's flirting with a bunch of girls across the room. 

"Spencer, hey spence come on." He mumbles something in his sleep and scrunches his nose making me laugh slightly, it was quite cute. "Noah help me, I can't wake Spencer up." I say making my way over to him ignoring how the girls glare at me for interrupting.

Noah comes back to the table with me and slaps Spencer pretty hard on the back of the head. "Noah!" He smirks as he shrugs, "what? It worked didn't it?" To be fair it had worked Spencer had awoken with a jump making Noah and I laugh. 

"What took you so long?" He asks sleepily rubbing his eyes. "That doesn't matter but let's go before it gets too late." 

"Why are we staring at this huge lake?" Noah asks once I lead the way to Hogwarts, Spencer had been speechless ever since he laid eyes on the castle, he was yet to speak or move. "Shush and wait a moment." I say smiling once the boat emerges. 

"Ok come on get in the boat." Noah shrugs and hops in, "Spencer?" I ask noticing how he still hadn't moved, "I can't swim." He says after a moment, "it's ok the boat rows itself, it won't tip." I tell him gently. "Come on Spence it'll be fine, you know I won't let anything happen to you." I'm surprised by Noah being so nice but it gets Spencer in the boat. 

During the ride over Spencer's eyes stay wide and awestruck reminding me of how I felt back in first year as we made our way to the castle the first time. Even Noah is quiet a look of fascination on his face. 

"That was wow, thank you so much Lyra." I shake my head at Spencer's thanks, "it's ok welcome to Hogwarts, the both of you." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

The next day we were working our first shift at the Hogwarts infirmary I was sat down waiting for a patient as Noah tended to a boy with a broken arm. Spencer was helping madam Pomfrey with something. "Lyra?" I look up to see Olivia running towards me a huge smile on her face. "Olivia." I smile as she hugs me. "You're working here?" She asks excitedly making me nod, "training here three days a week." 

"No way that's so cool, I missed you." I smile at the younger girl, "I missed you too, how's your work going this year?" It'd only been a few weeks since the start of the year but I knew how the workload build up. 

"Ok all the study techniques you taught me help a lot." I nod with a smile, "that's good, you can come to me for help whenever." I offer making her beam, "thanks Lyra you're the best." 

"Hey Malfoy are you gonna stand around and talk all day or do your job?" I roll my eyes at Noah's voice, "who's that?" Olivia whispers looking over at Noah who notices her looking and winks making her cheeks flame, "no one he's just an idiot." I say making her nod, "anyways don't you have a lesson to be getting to?" I ask making her eyes widen as she glances at the time, "oh merlin's beard Snape's going to kill me." 

I pull out a slip from my pocket and hand it to her, "here." She smiles gratefully and runs out of the infirmary. "You're not supposed to just give those out, they're for students who've been in the infirmary." 

"Didn't know you were such a rule follower, besides she was in the infirmary and you don't even know what Snape's like." 

A few hours later and I'd treated two broken noses and a variety of other broken limbs, the first years flying lesson didn't get off to such a great start this year. I also had to help fix a nosebleed that was caused by Fred and George's skiving snack box, the girl had eaten the part to give you the nosebleed but then she couldn't find the antidote half. "Be careful next time." I warn making her nod through her tears, she hadn't stopped crying even though I had stopped the bleeding. 

"It's ok you can stop crying now, you're fine." Instead she wails even louder her words a mess about how she thought she was going to die and how embarrassing it was because her crush had witnessed the whole thing. It takes me another forty minutes to console her, the whole time wishing I was dead. 

"Lyra?" I turn around to see Harry, Hermione and Ron walking towards me. "Well aren't you popular today?" Noah questions from beside me, "I told you it was her." I hear Ron mutter to Hermione as they approach. 

"Hey guys." I smile at the three, "you didn't tell us that you were going to be back here with us." Harry says, "because it was a surprise." 

"You guys are good right? No problems." I ask making the three nod, "we're fine." I smile, "great, I don't want to see you three in here this year ok? With your track record I know it might be hard but try and take care of yourselves." 

"So are you not going to introduce me to your friends?" Noah asks making me roll my eyes, "go away Noah." I say briefly shifting my attention from the trio, "I'm Noah Anderson." He continues he holds his hand out Ron and Harry both look at it, Hermione is the only one who actually steps forward and takes it. "Hermione Granger." She greets him blushing as he winks at her. Ron and I both scowl at this. "This is Harry." She says pointing to said boy who just doesn't respond. "I know I've seen his face plastered all over the newspapers."

Hermione sends Ron a look and so he begrudgingly introduces himself whilst eying the way Noah was stood so close to me."Weasley? That's your boyfriends surname isn't it? But his name was Fred or George or ch-" 

"Fred, his name is Fred and Ron is his younger brother." I confirm not wanting to talk about my love life with Noah around. "Hey guys Madam Pomfrey said we're free to go." Spencer says as he suddenly appears, "oh hello do you need help?" Spencer asks the trio making Noah snort. 

"They're Lyra's friends." Spencer nods rubbing the back of his neck, "sorry, hi I'm Spencer." He says with his bright smile, "this is Ron and Hermione and of course you know Harry Potter." Noah says winking at Hermione again making Ron narrow his eyes at the older boy. 

Harry had stayed fairly quiet, I looked to see him already looking at me seemingly deep in thought, was everything ok with him? "Harry? Are you ok?" I ask after a moment leaving the other four to continue talking amongst themselves. "I'm fine." He seemed a bit off but I didn't push it.

"Anyways I'm sure Harry Ron and Hermione have things they need to do." I say as I notice Ron's glare increase as he watched Hermione converse with Noah. "And we need to eat because I am starving." Spencer nods along eager to get out of what he finds an awkward situation, he wasn't big on socialising. 

"So you actually know the Harry Potter? I thought you were lying." I roll my eye and ignore Noah's words as I walk the boys towards the kitchens. 

"We can eat in here." I say before ticking the pear on the portrait of the kitchens, it giggles and opens the door so we can enter and see the many many house elves running around. "Woah." I hear one of the boys breath out. "Dobby?" The small house elf snaps his head up as he hears me call him. 

"Mistress Malfoy?" He asks with a small smile, I had loved Dobby growing up, he'd been my best friend. Dobby was the best house elf, he played what ever games I wanted and would always give me my favourite meals when my parents were too busy with baby Draco, Dobby took good care of me. 

I'd never mistreated him but I always felt guilty for never letting him free, I knew he deserved it with the way father treated him, but I was scared of what father would say and so I was extremely glad once Harry had freed the elf when I was in my fourth year. 

"Dobby!" I beam dropping to my knees and hugging the small elf who doesn't hesitate in wrapping his small arms around me. "Oh my goodness I've missed you." I say hearing him sniffle slightly, "Dobby missed miss Lyra too, but he never wanted to go back to-" 

"It's ok Dobby, I understand I never went back either and I don't want either of us to ever have to again." I assure him, he smiles and grabs my hands. "What does miss want? Dobby will get anything mistress desires." I laugh, "Dobby what've I said about calling me miss? It's just Lyra remember and do you think you could get my friends and I some food please?" I ask making him nod. 

"You know that elf?" Noah asks once we sit at a bench and wait for the food, "yeah he was my house elf, Dobby took care of me since I was like three years old." I say with a small smile as I reminisce those days. "Why?" 

"Mum was pregnant, dad was working so I had Dobby he played with me, any games I wanted. The amount of tea parties I put him through, poor elf." I say before Dobby returns with the food, "no Lyra Dobby loved the tea parties, Dobby would play and endless amount of tea parties for you." My heart warms and I hug him once more, "thanks Dobby I really love you." He starts to cry slightly as he hugs me tightly, "Dobby loves Lyra too."


	70. Chapter 70

"Henry? What are you-" I had just finished a shift at Hogwarts and had retuned home after my three days there, it'd been some weeks since our first day and it had actually been quite a bit of fun with Spencer and even Noah. 

I'd been showing them around the castle in our free time and we even used the map Harry had fo sneak into dumbledores office and sort the two. Noah was a Gryffindor and Spencer a Hufflepuff I though he'd be   
Ravenclaw for sure since he was so smart but I was wrong. 

"Oh yeah I know I'm not supposed to be moving in for a few more days but I'm just bringing some of my stuff now and I'll bring the rest when I actually move in." I stare at him dumbfounded, move in? "That- that's ok right? Daphne said that you were fine with me moving in, if it's a problem I can-" 

"No no it's ok you continue it's fine." I wave him off before making my way to Daphne's room only to see she's not there. "Hey Henry do you know where Daphne is?" I ask, "she said she was visiting her aunt lulu?" 

"Right thanks." I nod before just slinking to my room and flopping onto my bed, I was so tired, I'd deal with this tomorrow.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You've been trying to avoid me but you're not doing a good enough job." I had finally cornered Daphne in the St Mungo's cafeteria, she'd been leaving early in the mornings and coming home late at night just so that we wouldn't speak. "I'm sorry, I was going to ask you if it was ok that henry moves in with us I was, but I forgot and then you were at Hogwarts and he needs a place to stay and he's so hot I couldn't just say no, I mean who could say no to someone as hot as him?" Her rambling amuses me for a second even distracting me from my anger. "You have to tell him that he can't stay with us." 

"What? Why! Lyra I can't do it, I cant tell him that." I stare at her, "just let him stay with us Lyra please, he's quiet and he's neat and he's hot that's like the perfect package what more could we ask for, besides it's not like we don't have the space plus he's our friend and we help friends in need." I throw my head back with a sigh, "fine he can stay but don't go giving out anymore invitations to our home." She jumps up in joy and throws her arms around me, "thank you, he'll be fully moved in today." 

"What took you guys so long." Sophia asks once we join them at the table, "long line." I shrug lifting my juice and taking a sip. "Thanks again Lyra and Daphne for letting me move in, I promise I won't stay long just until I find a place." I smile at him and all of his gratitude, feeling kind of bad for trying to have him kicked out now, he was pretty nice and he did defend me on our first day here. 

"It's no problem Henry you're our friend, stay as long as you need." I assure him making him smile gratefully at me. "Wait a second you're letting Henry move in? Why Henry? What about me?" I laugh at Spencer, my laughter trailing off once I realise that he isn't joking. "Oh uh Daphne gave the invitation." I say making him turn to her, she looks between us and then just gets up and runs from the table with excuses of work. "I thought you were staying with your mum?" 

"I am but she's smothering me trying to make up for the sixteen years we spent apart and I love my mom I do but it's too much." He says, "we spend a hundred hours a week together do you not think that's too much?" 

"Please, I need out of that house."

"Fine you can move in." I give in quickly making him grin and lean over his seat to kiss my cheek, "thanks Lyra you're the best." I did like Spencer, he was a great friend, we'd grown close the past few weeks having spent so much time together, he was really funny and just a bit clumsy so I didn't mind him moving in so much. 

"Well if they're moving in I want to move in too." Noah speaks up, "sorry no space." I say quickly making him frown, "but you have another room." I glare at Henry from across the table, "I'll give him your room if you want?" I offer making him shake his head, "sorry mate no space." He smiles making me laugh as Noah's face drops. 

"But you're letting them move in." He persists, "Spencer's my favourite from our group." I shrug making Spencer fist bump into the air. "Please you have another room." 

"It's reserved." I shrug, "what? For who?" He asks not ready to let this go, "my brother." 

"He hates you he's never going to move in." He snorts making me glare at him, "sorry." He says quickly, "he doesn't hate me and I promised him that there'd always be a place ready for him with me so I'm sorry but you can't have his room." Draco didn't hate me, well I hoped he didn't help me. My mission wasn't going too well, the first time I'd seen my brother his face had gone cold towards me and then he ran away like literally sprinted from me and we hadn't made much progress there yet. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Here you go a nice warm hot chocolate, your favourite." Noah had been extra sweet to me all day which was just weird, "bribes won't work on me sorry, besides even if I wanted to there's no space." I shrug, "well we live on the top floor so we have the attic." I give Daphne a glare so heated that she runs away faster than I'd ever seen her run before. "Fine, but the second you irritate me you're out." I huff snatching the hot chocolate from him and walking away ugh I saw enough of them during the week and now we'd all be living together? How fun. 

Oh I wondered how Fred would take the news, probably not great.


	71. Chapter 71

"Do you want to tell Fred that we're letting three boys movie in or should I?" I ask Daphne with a glare as she waltzes herself into my room and jumps onto my bed. "Mmm I think you should tell him." She says with a smile, "I don't want to tell him, look what you've done Daphne!"

"Me? You're the one who said Spencer and Noah could stay, not that I'm mad, it adds to the hottness of our place but I only asked one hot boy." I grab my pillow and whack her, "I told Noah there was no space and you were all like we have the attic, and we help our friends in need. So that is your fault plus you offered to let Henry live here without ever asking me." She shrugs. "I don't care, I don't have a boyfriend so I can enjoy our new roommates all I want."

"No! You're not allowed to get with any of them." She gapes at me, "what why!?" I smirk, "because we're all living together now you're not gonna make things messy or complicated for us, if you so much as kiss one they can't stay here." 

"Lyra that's not fair, just because you're the one who can't do anything because of Fred, let me live my life." I slap her with the pillow again, "I don't want to do anything, I don't need to do anything because I have Fred." She makes a face at me, "but no it's a house rule now, if they live here they're off limits, if you break one of their hearts or something I don't want to have deal with all the drama that will follow. Our home is my safe space ok? Don't ruin the safe space." 

"Fine." She huffs throwing her head down dramatically murmuring something about me under her breath earning her another hit with the pillow. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Soon the three boys were all moved in, Noah in the attic he was out of sight and mind most of the time so it wasn't that bad. Spencer took the room beside mine and Henry had taken the one next to Daphne's. Henry spent most of his time locked up in his room not wanting to bother anyone whereas sometimes we had to lock Noah in the attic because he wouldn't leave us alone. It was kind of hectic to begin with but the five of us had adjusted pretty well. 

"You what?" Fred looks up from a new product he was working on whilst I sat across from him on the window ledge."Daphne said they could stay, well Daphne said one could stay and the rest asked and she bailed like a coward and what was I supposed to do throw them out on the streets, you know if someone asks me for help I can't say no. Besides you know Henry, you like Henry and Noah and Spencer are nice well Spencer is nice. Noah is... Noah." 

"Wait Noah? Ron told me he didn't like him." Fred says suddenly, "and what else did Ron tell you?" I ask curiously. "Nothing." He says fast, a bit too fast, I don't say anything for a moment and just keep my stare on him. "I think he's jealous because he likes Hermione or something cause he was saying something about him flirting with her." I laugh, "it's so obvious that Ron and Hermione like each other." 

"He also said he thinks Noah likes you." I laugh again and move so now I'm right in front of him leaning against his desk, "Noah likes and will flirt with anything that has a heartbeat and can talk." I shrug, "you're not inspiring much confidence here love." 

"He's not interested in me, don't worry I told him all about you and besides even if he was you know that you're all I care about." I say brushing his hair off his face as he smiles at up me. "And can you believe it's only been four days since he moved in and he's somehow already brought six girls back homes with him." Fred's eyebrows raise, "impressive." I whack his shoulder, "not impressive, disgusting." He nods along but I still see the impressed glint in his eye. 

"Are you going home now?" Fred asks after watching me yawn, "no I wanna stay with you a bit longer." His fingers brush against mine before he pulls me up to a proper standing position. I don't know what it was, if I was making it up in my head or if it was just a Fred thing but, Fred was always warm, like always and whenever he'd touch me it'd warm me up too. I loved it so much especially because Fred would always be touching me if we were together, wether it be something big like wrapping his arms around me from behind and leaning his whole body on mine. Or something small like hooking his ankle with mine under the dinner table, I could never be cold when I was with him. 

"Go and get some rest." He says kissing my forehead, "but I want to stay with you." I pout making him chuckle, "you spent the whole day with me and you're exhausted." He says tucking my hair behind my ear as I lean into his hold. "Want me to come with you?" He asks his voice slightly muffled as he speaks into my hair. "Yes." I mumble into his chest smiling as I feel the slight vibrations at his light laughter and how his fingers gently tangle themselves in my hair. "I love you." I say closing my eyes as I listen to his heartbeat, Fred had become used to it by now, I'd randomly hug him and just listen to his heart. He told me it beat only for me and that would always make me giggle like a stupid school girl, it was actually kind of scary how infatuated I was with him. 

I never thought I'd ever learn to love a person so much but I did, I loved him so much, like so much I didn't even know how to function some days. 

I had never believed in love, not the type of love you see in fairytales anyways, my parents loved each other I knew that much but to me fairytale love was just made up for stories. I never even dreamed that I'd one day have my own Prince Charming who loved me just as much as I loved him. 

I knew from a young age that I'd marry into a family that my parents approved and then I'd learn to love my husband in time, I'm so glad that, that was done with because I honestly didn't know where I'd be in life without Fred Weasley and I would never want to find out.


	72. Chapter 72

"What the hell happens at this school to cause so many injuries?" I glance at Spencer who was helping me wrap a girls boil covered arms up from a potion mistake. "I don't know, I mean I never got fatally injured here and this isn't that bad." I shrug smiling at the young girl who's trying her hardest to keep her tears at bay. 

"I-I'm not going to look this ugly forever am I?" She whispers fearfully making me shake my head, "the boils will be gone completely, you wouldn't even know they'd been there to begin with." I assure her, "besides you're not ugly." Spencer adds making her smile, "really?" He nods sincerely, "really, you're beautiful even with the boils." Her face is more relaxed now as she grins up at Spencer. 

I leave them be knowing he can manage the rest on his own, "Help!" My eyes widen as a young girl accompanied by Hagrid screeches as Hagrid sets another girl down on one of the beds, she's twitching terribly. Noah and I share a glance before running over. 

It was Katie Bell, a Griffindor girl who was actually on the quidditch team although right now she was twitching terribly. "W-what's wrong with her?" I ask fearfully watching the girl writhe on the bed, "She's been cursed." My eyes widen more if possible Noah and i sharing yet another glance neither of knowing how to deal with such a situation. 

He runs to go and find Madam Pomfrey as I try and help in ways I had read about. "What happened?" I ask after I have to spell Katie to the bed because she had started floating and twitching above the bed. "I don't really know, Harry ran and got me but we think it was a necklace." 

Once madam pomfrey arrives I finally breathe out the pressure lifted from my shoulders as we watch the experienced healer work her magic. Eventually Noah is instructed to take Katie to St.Munro's and oversee her treatment. "T-that was crazy." I nod along as Spencer joins my side, "so crazy." I say before remembering how Hagrid had said it was Harry who had found him and asked for help. 

"Uh I've got to do something but I'll see you later ok?" I don't wait for a response before I'm off in search off the trio. "Harry I know that you don't like draco but you can't accuse him off this, its too much." Hermione says to harry as the three are leaving McGongalls classroom. "Yeah harry it's a bit..."

"You think Draco did this?" I ask disbelievingly making all three of their heads snap up. "N-no we don't." 

"Yes I do." Harry says bluntly ignoring his friends trying to get him to stop. "Oh, w-why? I know you don't like him Harry but he wouldn't- he couldn't do something like this." I say quickly, Draco couldn't, he was mean to people sure but he wouldn't go as far as to curse someone in such a horrible, terrible way. 

"It- it's not because I don't like him and I think he's a death eater." My eyes widen and Hermione grabs him by the arm harshly, "Harry!" She hisses as Ron looks between us all very uncomfortable. "Do you have evidence?" He looks stumped there, 'not exactly." I nod without saying anything, turn around and walk away. "Lyra!" I ignore how they call after me and continue on with one person on may mind.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I couldn't find Draco anywhere, like anywhere I was really concerned, did he do this? He was way too young to be a death eater wasn't he? My racing mind pauses once I walk past Myrtle's bathroom and hear crying from inside. It didn't sound like the usual wailing of Myrtle instead of her high pitched shrieks the sobs I was hearing were actually masculine and it seemed as though the usually moaning ghost was consoling the person who was crying.

I sneak in recognising that cry, it sounded a bit different seeing as Draco wasn't a child anymore but it was him nonetheless, I could recognise him anywhere. "Draco?" I ask gently standing behind him. He turns so fast his wand raised, it lowers once he sees it's only me and he breaks down once more. "Draco what's wrong?" I ask him softly as I take him in my arms. He doesn't says anything only clutching me as tight as possible and crying into me. 

"It's ok, whatever it is, it's ok or it will be." I say untangling myself from his arms and wiping his eyes. He doesn't speak and I feel my worry increase so I clean him up and then grab him by the wrist and lead him to my room. Since I was no longer a student here I didn't stay in the dorms instead I slept in the sleeping quarters near the teachers and staff although our rooms were quite a bit away. Noah and Spencer had been annoyed that I had picked the best room out of them all but I had gotten here first and so as I told them, you snooze you lose. 

"Ok tell me what's wrong." I instruct after Draco sits down, he looks up at me sadly but doesn't say anything. "You cursed her didn't you?" It was the only thing that I could think of that would affect him in such a way. "Draco it's me, it's your rah rah you can tell me anything." He smiles slightly at the use of the childhood nickname he had for me, when Draco was a baby he couldn't say Lyra and took to calling me rah rah he kept it up for a pretty long time actually until father got annoyed and made him stop. 

"I did." He whispers before breaking down again, my heart breaks in my chest as I sit beside him and hold him again, "why?" I ask, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't mean for her to get hurt, I didn't even want to do it but I have to Lyra, I have to." I frown feeling my own eyes tear up at the defeat and fear in his voice. 

"He'll kill me." My heart drops to my stomach and my throat begins to close up, "no." I whisper but he nods tearfully at me as he rolls his sleeve and shows me his arm, his arm that had been branded by the dark mark. "I'm sorry." I begin to cry myself as I hold him tightly. 

"I'm sorry." I apologise which makes him cry harder. "No I'm sorry Lyra, I'm so sorry. I should've- I should've listened to you, you told me and I didn't listen. I didn't listen and now I have to do what he says or he'll kill me and he'll kill mother." I hold him so tight that it may have hurt but I couldn't bear the fear in his voice. 

I was his sister and I was supposed to protect him from this. I had wanted him to find things out the hard way but I never thought he'd be a death eater all ready, he was just a boy just a child. I thought he'd witness the horrors and I'd be able to take him away before they inducted him into it. 

I don't know what to do, I can't think of any way to help him, you couldn't just leave the deatheaters it wasn't allowed. Sirius told me his brother had tried and only lasted a few days before he was hunted down and murdered and I couldn't not let that happen to Draco. 

"I'm so sorry." I whisper kissing the top of his head, "what do you have to do? I'll help you." I say making him shake his head, "I can't tell you and I have to do it alone." My heart breaks for him and so we sit there crying for hours until we fall asleep in each other's arms.


	73. Chapter 73

I told Dumbledore about Draco, I didn't know what else to do and Dumbledore would, he could help. He said he already knew and that he wasn't entirely sure on what to do either but that he was handling it and he could find Draco somewhere safe if I convinced him to leave Voldemort. 

That was going to be so hard because he was so scared. I was also instructed to not tell anyone else, especially not Harry who already had his suspicions I didn't want to lie to him but I also didn't want him to know either because I knew he'd probably go after Draco himself. 

Speaking of Draco he hung out with me a lot now, and he'd usually stay the night with me just like he used to when we were kids and he was afraid to sleep. This whole situation was killing me, I couldn't do much to help him but I couldn't just abandon him. I'd warned him that if he stayed at the manor there may come a time I may be unable to help him but I just didn't think it'd be so soon.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Have you got far with your task?" I ask my brother as he sits beside me on the astronomy tower, he shakes his head a somber expression on his face, "it's ok, you'll do it soon." I say taking his hand in mine, "I don't want to do it." He whispers, "you don't have to, just come with me please, I'll keep you safe, we can use the fidelius charm and I'll be the secret keeper no one will find you then because I'd never give up that information." He looks like he's debating it but he shakes his head, "Draco come on you know that it's impossible for anyone to find you if we use the fidelius charm, they would never know where you are not unless I told them and I wouldn't." 

"No lyra what about mother?" I loved my parents and I didn't want them to die but if I had to pick between them and my brother I'd pick him always, they'd loved their lives and they'd ridden them with mistakes which the consequences were now being pushed onto Draco. I didn't want them to die but I wanted Draco to live. "Maybe she'll come with us." I suggest, "and father?" There was no way he'd leaves Voldemort's side, our father was utterly consumed with fear for the tyrant and I knew there was no chance he'd leave. 

"Do we really need father? You mother and I is good enough isn't it." He gives me an unimpressed look. "I can't risk it Lyra, it's not just my life on the line, it's mother's, fathers and even yours." I open my mouth to respond but he beats me to it, "can we please just stop talking about it? I want this off my mind at least for a short while." I nod. 

"What do you want to talk about?" I ask leaning forwards against the railing of the tower. "Did you miss me? All the time we spent apart?" He asks hesitation clear in voice also a hint of fear, as though he were afraid to hear the answer. "Of course I missed you, don't be silly you're my brother, my baby brother I'll always miss you." I say wrapping an arm around him, he smiles and leans into me. 

"I love you Draco more than you know." He closes his eyes and rests his head on my shoulder I see him trying to keep his tears at bay. "I love you so much and like I promised you always have a place with me, I have a room waiting for you back at my home." That makes him start crying. I don't say much I just try and whisper words of comfort to him as I let him cry. "I'm so sorry for all of this Lyra." I shake my head and wipe his tears away, "you don't need to apologise to me." 

"What has it been like? Living alone?" I smile at him noticing how he wants to change the subject and so I tell him about my crazy household with my crazy roommates, I smile as I notice him laugh along with me genuinely. 

"Oh sorry." We both turn at the sound of a voice, it's a Slytherin girl in Draco's year, she's startled to see us here. "Hi." I smile as I notice the look in Dracos eye as he watches her. She's really pretty and kind I remember seeing her around school she always had a smile on her face. 

"I'll uh go." She says pushing strands of her shoulder length hair from her face as she lifts her glasses which had slid slightly down the bridge of her nose, her cheeks dusting a light pink as she notices my brothers unwavering stare on her. "You like her!" I exclaim as soon as she's gone he turns around and shoves me. 

"I do not! Keep your voice down." He tells me quickly ducking his head over the staircase to make sure she hadn't heard, "you do." I persist making him turn around all annoyed at me. "It's ok to like her Draco, she's really pretty and I remember that she's nice." He smiles slightly, "she is." He murmurs under his breath but I heard him. 

"Awww you're so cute, you'd be so cute." His smile drops and he shakes his head, "I can't." He says as though something had dawned on him, "why not, I'm certain she likes you too." 

"I don't want to put her in any danger." My smile also drops, "Taylor deserves to be happy and to be safe." I look at him sadly and grab his hand, "oh Draco it's ok." My heart hurt, he liked this Taylor girl and he shouldn't have to worry about such things, he was so young and he deserved to be able to worry about girls and get a girlfriend without fear for her safety. 

"Maybe one day." He shrugs I nod and smile encouragingly, "one day."


	74. Chapter 74

"What is going on?" I have to shout over my roommates after I walk in to find them all shouting over each other, well all of them aside from Spencer and I who just shared confused glances. "Tell Noah to leave right now!" My eyebrows raise at Daphnes anger and so I turn to Noah to see what he has to say for himself. 

"Oh my god tell her to relax please." It seems Daphne did not appreciate that, "relax!? You're going to tell me to relax?! Why the fuck were you in my bed! My bed! I sleep in that and now you've contaminated it you disgusting prick! You have your own room! Use your own bed for whichever girl you being home next!" I place my hand over my mouth as I laugh into it watching as the two of them begin arguing again Henry trying to stop them. 

"Lyra do something." He pleads making me sigh and push my way between them, "STOP IT!" They both go quiet and stare at me wide eyed, "you've frightened my poor baby." I say looking over to paddy who was curled up wide eyed in the corner trying to hid his face. 

"Now you apologise for being a disgusting pig and keep your company in your room or do not bring them back here at all." I say to Noah who nods and drops his head as he apologises to Daphne who soaks it in with the smuggest smirk I've ever seen on her face. 

"Now both of you to your rooms," they look like they're about to disagree, "now!" Noah runs off first disappearing up into the attic where I'm severely tempted to lock him. "You wanted them to stay here." I say to Daphne who huffs at me and then storms off to her own room complaining about how she's going to have to burn it as she goes. 

"Noah, you can't have any of your guests over for the weekend." I shout up at him, "what? Why?!" Could he really not keep it in his pants for two days? "Because I have a guest staying with me and you just can't." 

Henry slinks back to his room now that the commotion was over and so I turn to Spencer who just looks a bit sad. "Are you ok?" I ask noticing how he hadn't said a word this whole time, "fine." He shrugs unclenching his jaw and storming off to his own room. "So I guess it's just us paddy?" He too then gets up and runs into Henry's room, "you're supposed to be my best friend paddy you traitor!"

I sigh and begin heading to my own room when I hear what sounds like crying from Spencer's room, "Spencer?" I ask poking my head in, he's lying curled up in his bed his face in his pillow. "What's wrong?" I ask as he looks at me wordlessly, "I don't know." He says dropping his face back into his pillow. 

I kick my shoes off and climb into his bed and lay beside him, "what are you..." He trails off as I wrap my arms around him. "You're jealous." I say as he relaxes in my arms, "huh?" He asks confused, "jealous, Spencer you like Noah." He looks up at me and shakes his head, "no- I don't, I don't know what you're talking about." I stroke the back of his head, "it's ok Spencer." He closes his eyes, "I don't know what I like." I nod, "that's ok too." 

"How did you know?" I shrug, "it's the lingering stares, laughing at all of his stupid jokes that aren't even funny half the time and the blushing when he touches you." 

"He'll never like me." I shake my head, "you don't know that, that boy likes anything with a pulse." Spencer laughs slightly, "what's going on in here?" Daphne asks from the doorway making me roll my eyes, "shut up and get in the bed we're comforting Spencer." I say making her shrug and join us. "Why?" She asks once she climbs in, the three of us now laying on our backs and looking up at the ceiling. I don't say anything not sure if Spencer is comfortable with me disclosing what is his secret.

"Is this because of your crush on Noah?" His eyes widen as he glances between us, "does everybody know?" I shake my head assuringly, "we're just observant." I say making him relax slightly, "and with my observations I feel inclined to tell you, that you could do so much better Spence trust me." Daphne says making me laugh, "Noah's not that bad you just need to know him properly, he's a good guy really." I shrug at his defence and give Spencer a smile before facing back towards the ceiling, "whatever you say, my traumatised eyeballs would disagree though, do one of you want to obliviate me?" The three of us then look at each other before laughing loudly. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey angel." I grin as evangeline enters our home, "I've not been here in forever." She exclaims dramatically before running over to paddy and hugging him. I smile as I watch him lick her face eliciting loud giggles from the small girl. "Do you not want to come in?" I ask turning to Bill who had been the one to drop her off, "nah I'm on my way to work so I'll see you later." He says before leaving. 

"What is that?" I laugh at Henry's face once he spots Evangeline, "a child." Spencer says joining him, "Lyra has a child? You're a mother? Good on you Lyra." Noah adds as he too appears, "oh my god you're idiots." I say as Evangeline looks at the boys wide eyed running to hide behind my legs as fast as she can. 

"Who are they?" She does what she thinks is whispering although I'm fairly confident that they all heard her.

"My friends." I whisper back, "you have more friends?" I laugh and nod, "they live here now." Her face scrunches up, "ew there's so many boys and I was just getting used to Fred." I laugh, "hi." Spencer smiles waving at her, she tilts her head as she peaks out from behind me and sends him her own reserved smile accompanied by a small wave. "How old is she?" Evangeline holds up four finger with a proud smile, "I'm nearly five."

"Damn Lyra, you had her when you were fourteen?" I physically could not roll my eyes anymore than I was right now. "She's not my daughter don't be so stupid." I say as he takes a face at me, "you told me stupid was a mean word." Evangeline says accusingly crossing her arms as she looked up at me, dang when did she get so sassy. "stupid is a mean wordless you're talking to him." I explain making her nod, "so I can't call Fred stupid?" I nod, "you can't call Fred stupid." I confirm.

"Ok if she's not your daughter who is she?" Noah asks, "I'm Evangeline and I was living here way before you moved in." she says narrowing her eyes at him making both Spencer and Henry laugh. "Hey Eva." Daphne says as she finally leaves her room and joins the rest of us, "oh so you guys are having a party and just didn't invite me?"

Once Evangeline runs off with paddy I turn back to the boys, "she's a friend and I promised to take care of her which I had been doing before we started our first year of training and so she'll come to visit occasionally, are you all ok with that?"


	75. Chapter 75

I groan hearing yet another commotion outside of my bedroom, I miss the days when it was just Daphne and I living here. "I am going to kill you all!" I shout after they grow louder forcing me out of bed. "It was Noah." They all say simultaneously without a second of hesitation. 

"He broke the tv." Evangeline pouts making me turn to glare at said boy, "it was an accident!" I grab the pillow from the couch beside me and start attacking him with it, "today was my one day to sleep in and you ruined it." 

"I'm sorry!" I drop the pillow and glare at him, "go and get the tv fixed, Spencer go with him." I instruct, Noah smiles at Spencer who avoids his eye and looks at me as though I just tried to drown him, "can I go too?" Evangeline asks making my eyebrows furrow, "why?" She shrugs giving me a smile, "I like going to the shops." Spencer nods eagerly not wanting to be alone with Noah, "yes, you can come with us." She beams and I just shrug and head back to my room. 

I get out of my bed once more unable to fall asleep again and decide to leave, "hi Lyra-" 

"Hi George, bye George." I say before walking straight into Fred's room where I knew he'd be sleeping. Unlike George he wasn't a morning person and he loved to sleep for as long as he could. "Lyra what are you doing?" He asks half asleep, "shh we're sleeping." I say crawling under the covers and curling up beside him. He shrugs and pulls me closer wrapping me up in all of his warmth making me smile as I lean my head on his chest and listen to his steady heartbeat my eyes beginning to drop.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. 

"How was your day out?" I ask Evangeline when Spencer walks through the door with her on his shoulders, "so much fun! Spencer got me another dragon teddy to be friends with my other one and I called her Lyra look." I smile at her excitement, "that's great." She nods asking Spencer to let her down so she could introduce her new teddy to her old one and show it to Henry and Paddy both of whom could almost always be found together recently.

"And how was your day?" I ask Spencer who flops down beside me he doesn't say anything instead dropping his body on my lap, his head nestling in my arms, "where's Noah?" I ask making him huff, "he met a girl and you know how he is." I sigh and pat his cheek. "It'll be ok." I assure him kissing the top of his head. "Oh, hello." I look up at Fred's voice and smile at him although I notice he's not smiling back.

I look down and see what his eyes were fixated on, oh right I was holding Spencer in my arms, he jumps up his eyes wide. "H-hi." Fred still doesn't smile, "this is Spencer, and Spencer this is Fred." I introduce, "oh it's nice to meet you, Lyra never shuts up about you." He smiles sweetly, but Fred's jaw refuses to unclench, "yeah I bet." I shoot him a look as Spencer looks away awkwardly, "I-I have things to do so I'll see you later." He says leaving hurriedly. 

I turn back to Fred who runs a hand through his hair as he paces, "Fred." He ignores me for a second before stopping abruptly and turning to face me, "what were the two of you doing?" I shake my head, "nothing, we were just sat on the couch." I say disbelievingly, "it was just innocen-" 

"It didn't look very innocent to me." I try not to sigh because I see where he was coming from, I knew Fred tended to get pretty jealous too so I wasn't going to hold it against him. He was a passionate person who could let his emotions get to him. 

"Fred I swear it was innocent as can be, Spencer's going through some personal problems right now and I-" 

"You what? You think giving him kisses will make him better?" I stop and stare at him for a second my mouth agape, "I... Fred it didn't mean anything they were friendly forehead kisses, I'm an affectionate friend Fred you know this. I was always affectionate with you even when I was with Cedric but I never even thought of cheating not once. Affection is how I comfort people." 

Neither of us say anything, we both just watch each other before I turn around and walk to my room. "Lyra don't walk away from me." 

"Sorry I just didn't feel like arguing in the living room where everyone can hear us." I reply as he follows after me. "Fred I don't know what to say, Spencer is just a friend and you know that you're the only person that I love." 

"How do I know that? I hardly see you anymore, you spend a hundred hours a week at work with three boys just to come home to them." My eyebrows furrow, "I thought you didn't mind them living here?" I ask confused when I had told him he had taken the news so much better than I thought he would've. "I see you one day a week, I don't know what I'm supposed to think." 

"Fred... you're supposed to think that I'm your girlfriend who you love and trust and I want to see you more, I do but I can't help the long hours I get given. And it's not forever. Long hours are only temporary, once I've completed my training you know the hours will be shorter." He doesn't say anything. "Fred I love you." I say moving closer to him. 

"You're my girlfriend." I nod, "I know that." He takes a hold of my chin and tilts my head up, "are you sure or do I have to remind you?" He murmurs against my lips not giving me any time to reply as he's already got his lips on mine.


	76. Chapter 76

"Did you hear that, the potions teacher is throwing a Christmas party?" My eyebrows furrow, "Snape?" Noah shakes his head, "the potions teacher." Oh right Slughorn, it was weird to think that Snape didn't teach potions anymore and that he had gotten the job he'd been after since merlin knows when. I guess it was weirder to think of Snape throwing a party though. 

"Where did you hear this?" I ask astounded by how Noah always had something to tell us, "he told me, said the three of us could go." I nod, "I'll pass." I shrug didn't sound like much fun to me. "What about you Spence will you go with me?" Spencer chokes on his drink making my eyes widen as I pat his back. "Y-yeah sure." He says his face all red as Noah beams. "I- I gotta do something." We both watch eyebrows furrowed as Spencer leaves in a rush. 

"Is be ok?" Noah asks me genuine concern all over his face. "Yeah he's fine." I shrug but Noah doesn't look any relived. "He's not angry with me is he?" I watch him for a second seeing how this is really eating him up, "because I don't know what I'd do if he was mad at me. He's my best friend, he's my person." I nod seeing Noah was actually close to tears, and so I reach across the table and take his hand. "He's not mad at you." I assure him. 

"He's all I have, I don't have a family, but I have Spencer. My dad killed my mom when I was twelve and so I was alone after that but Spencer and his dad they helped, and I only came to Hogwarts because Spencer was-" 

I frown as I watch him, "he's not mad at you." I repeat softly holding both his hands from my seat across him, I would've been hugging him if there wasn't a table between us because he looked like he really needed a hug. "You're sure?" I nod and he lets out a breath and smiles slightly. "He's ok though right? Like he's not in any trouble." I shake my head, "why don't you go and speak to him?" I suggest knowing only the two of them could work this out. 

"Hey Lyra." Ron Hermione and Harry say as they join us, I don't miss the way Ron's eyes narrow on our joined hands. "I'm gonna go find Spencer." Noah says before smiling at the three and bidding them goodbye. 

I watch him in worry now feeling bad for how I'd treated him, it made sense now why he wanted to move in with the rest of us when he found out or why he wanted to spend so much time with us. He wanted a family or the feeling that he was wanted, I guess that's also why he hooked up with so many people longing for any attention. 

"What was that about?" Ron asks snapping me out of my daze, "nothing, just some family problems." I shrug turning my attention fully to them, "so what's up?" I ask, they look at each other for a second clearly not knowing what to say, I'm guessing Ron saw me holding hands with Noah and they decided to come and make him leave.

"We were talking about the Christmas party Slughorn is throwing." I nod, "oh yeah Noah just told me and Spencer about it, he said potions teacher and I thought he was talking about Snape." Harry starts laughing and we begin to make fun of Snape. 

"Are you going?" Hermione asks, "apparently the three of us are invited." I shrug, "great." Ron mutters under his breath I pretend not to hear him though. "Ron didn't get invited." Oh that's why he was in a mood. "I'm not going." I say trying to cheer him up but it doesn't seem to work much. 

"You should come, I already asked Ron to be my plus one." Hermione says making me smile, "I might just go home early and spend the day off with Fred." I shrug thinking my options over, "yeah that sounds lovely." She smiles. "Anyways I've got to get back to the hospital wing so I'll see you guys later." I say waving at them as I leave. 

"Are you done with your stupid theory that Lyra's helping Draco now?" I almost stop in my place as I hear what Hermione asks Harry but I keep going not waiting to hear his response. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I was sat with Draco in the library watching as he pretended to be interested in the book in his hands only to glance up across the room every few minutes and peaks over the top of his book and watches that girl from the other week, Taylor. He smiles every so often as he watches her laugh and smile with her friends. 

"Why don't you go and talk to her." I offer once I notice she's alone, his head snaps over to me and he shakes his head. "Well last I remember the two of you were friends, friends can talk to each other Draco." We both turn back to Taylor and watch her eyebrows furrow as she reads over a question that it seems she doesn't understand. "Go help her." He debates it for a second but he walks over and sits beside her. 

I smile as I watch them speak, Taylor sneaking glances at Draco as he explains and Draco doing the same when she's not looking. I pack my things up and give them one last glance before leaving the library.

As I was walking back to my room all I could think about was what Noah had told me. I felt bad for assuming I knew everything about him, I shouted at him that day that he didn't know me and that he shouldn't act as though he did when I'd done the exact same thing. 

"Lyra what are you doing here?" Noah asks opening his room door, "I uh I..." I don't know what to say so I take a step forward and wrap my arms around him, "I just wanted to say that you're not alone anymore and that we're your family now." He stays quiet and unmoving for a moment before I hear a sniff and he wraps his arms around me. 

He sniffs again, then again and before I know it he's full on crying and holding me tightly. I rub his back as he sobs my eyes wide in surprise. "Thank you." He whispers after he's calm. The sadness on his face just reminds me of a child who just found out Santa wasn't real or something. 

"It's ok." I assure him wiping his tears, "did you and Spencer work things out?" I ask smiling once I see his face brighten, "yeah I think so." I nod, "that's great." He nods too and wipes his eyes as he takes a step back. "Well goodnight." I also step back inching towards my room. 

"Lyra." I turn back around, "thank you... for-" 

I shake my head, "no problem."


	77. Chapter 77

"Guess what? I get to be the healer on call at the quidditch game." Both Spencer and I look at Noah in disbelief, "what how?" Noah smirks but doesn't answer the question, "why did she pick you?" When it came to healing everything was a competition between us, we all tried to get as many patients as possible and heal them as fast as possible, we all wanted to be the best. 

"Whilst the two of you were wasting time with breakfast I was at the hospital wing helping madam Pomfrey so you snooze you lose." I roll my eyes but shrug, fair enough.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

The quidditch match went by pretty quickly gryffindor won, but I was more focused on the fact my brother hadn't shown up for the match he was the teams seaker, he was probably working on the task that he still wouldn't tell me about, in a way I wanted to know but then again it was for Voldemort so it wouldn't have been anything good, I mean the last thing he did resulted in poor Katie bell being admitted to st mungos where she was still undergoing treatment.

It'd been a while so I decided to go and check that he was ok knowing not many people would be wandering the castle at this time. 

"Hermione?" I'm shocked to find Hermione and Harry sat on one of the staircases, Hermione crying on Harry's shoulder. "What's wrong?" I ask, "Ron he..." she trails off making me frown, "Ron again?" Harry looks between us and gets up, "I'll uh leave you to it." 

Once he's gone I take his place and sit beside her taking her hand in mine. "Why're boys so stupid?" She asks, "they just can't help it, no matter how hard they try, there's always some stupid in them. Trust me I know." I tell her making her smile slightly, "what did he do?" I ask, "he got a girlfriend." I frown sympathetically and squeeze her hand, "why does it hurt so bad? Not being able to be with the person you want to." 

"I don't know, but what I do know is that if you're meant to be with someone it'll work itself out and you'll end up together." She looks up hopefully, "you think so?" I nod and wipe her tears, "I know so." She smiles for a second before her face falls, "but what if we're not meant to be?" She asks worriedly, "don't worry about that, you are." 

"Now come on, you remember what I told you at the Yule ball?" I ask standing and holding a hand out to her, she nods and takes it with a smile, "you do not need to cry over any boy. You're Hermione granger you're strong, beautiful and the smartest witch in your year, probably the century."

"So who's he going out with?" I ask as she falls in step with me, "Lavender Brown." She answers, "ugh not Lavender Brown." I didn't even know who that was. 

Hermione stops for a moment and looks at me, "you don't know who that is do you?" I shake my head, "not a clue." I reply making the two of us laugh. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So how was the party?" I ask Noah and Spencer once they return home, "fun." Spencer smiles making me grin, Spencer still hadn't told Noah how he felt, I thought he would've that day but he didn't and Noah was still oblivious. "There was actually this whole thing with your brother and that greasy caretaker, accused him of crashing the party. Some chick bailed him out though." Noah shrugs before making his way to his room. 

"It seems to me that American one has a thing for American two." Fred says making Spencer turn to me wide eyed, "you told him?!" My own eyes widen as I shake my head at the betrayal in his voice. "I didn't tell him or anyone anything." I say, "so I was right?" Fred asks eagerly making me nudge him, "not the time." I whisper over, "but I was right?" I roll my eyes and turn back to Spencer who has now taken a seat his head in his hands. 

"Is it really that obvious?" He asks lifting his head, both Fred and I answer at the same time. I try and comfort him with a no but Fred shrugs and says yes, which makes me turn and glare at him when Spencer drops his head back into his hands with a groan. "It's not, I mean Noah doesn't know he's completely oblivious." 

"If you're having some difficulties there, I don't know if Lyra has told you but my brother and I sell love potions and they really work so-" Fred stops his sales pitch once I whack him knowing he wasn't helping in the slightest. "Shut up Fred, he's doesn't want to buy a stupid love potion." I say making Fred pout, "you shut up...they're not stupid." 

"I'm just gonna go to bed." Spencer shrugs getting up and getting to his room rather quickly. "What's got him so down?" Fred asks making me sigh and shake my head. "What?" He asks me but I don't reply just looking at him in wonder.


	78. Chapter 78

"Lyra, you're with me today." I grin up at Marianne from the patient charts I'd been studying and nod, "you got it boss." The hospital was a very tense atmosphere right now, well they were around our team. I didn't know the details but Sophia Henry and Noah had done something wrong and Marianne was very pissed about it. 

Although Spencer and I hadn't taken part in whatever it is they had done, we too had to sit through the lecture about how Marianne is responsible for us and how our actions reflect on her and how she had to deal with the consequences. 

Nobody would even tell us what was wrong though, when I had asked Sophia she burst into tears and ran away. Noah said nothing surprisingly and Henry was just quiet anyways, it seemed a bit futile to even try and get anything out of him. I wasn't too worried one of the others would crack eventually. 

"Do you think they killed someone?" Spencer asks making me shrug, "maybe, who's fault do you think it is?" I ask back, "Noah's in the most trouble." I nod, "but Sophia seems guiltiest." 

"Stop your gossiping and come on!" I jump as we turn to see Marianne stood there glaring at us, I thought she had walked ahead. "Spencer you're with Phoenix." Spencer tries and fails to withhold a groan of annoyance, "ugh I wish I had anyone but Phoenix." 

"He's not so bad." I shrug, "yeah to you." My eyebrows furrow, "really?" Spencer nods, "last time he sent me to get him lunch." He tells me, "but that's not your job." That was weird healer Phoenix was always pleasant with me, "I know that but I couldn't say no to him, plus he's so boring and he never lets me help, no matter how many errands I run for him." 

"I'm surprised you aren't with him today actually, you're with him a lot." My eyebrows furrow as I think on it I did spend a lot of my time at St.Mungos with Phoenix opposed to the other healers. "That's because he asks for you." Noah chimes in joining the conversation, "how do you know that?" 

"People talk." He shrugs, "he asked for you today actually but Marianne wanted nothing to do with the rest of us so she refused, I'd be extra alert if I was you Spence he'll be pissed he doesn't have his golden girl." I roll my eyes, "why would he care that much?" 

"Because he has the hots for you duh." I shake my head, "don't be ridiculous he's married." I say trying to stop this conversation, "so? He likes you, his wife's not here is she?" I don't even know how to reply to that. 

"Can you stop speaking as though I'm interested, he's like older than my dad and he has kids who're like our age and older." Even the thought of healer Phoenix liking me creeped me out. "I mean it's not that bad, just flirt with him get those cool cases and leave." 

"Noah!"

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So what are we working on today?" I ask Marianne as I follow her towards the patient room, "you just need to monitor this kid, got into a bit of a nasty accident with a erkling." My eyes widen, Erklings particularly liked the taste of children and would try anything to eat them, although their attacks had been reduced greatly in the past few years. 

"Are they ok?" I ask relieved once Marianne nods, "thankfully yes, clever boy used the pullus jinx and managed to get to help in time, but you just keep and eye on him and test to see if his speech has returned and keep up with the potions and ointments he's too weak to be healed completely right now, so we have to do it slowly." 

"I'm trusting you, it seems you're the only trainee I can trust." She says, "what did they do, the others?" I ask hesitantly I was afraid to anger her but I wanted to know, I was a bit nosy like that. "That's not important right now." 

"Now come on don't ruin the faith I have in you." She says reaching for the door handle before halting and turning back to me.

"Also try not to stare." I nod and follow her into the room. 

I thankfully manage to keep my facial expression under control once I lay eyes upon the boy, his throat had been slashed out and had been healed weakly, the thin skin that had been replaced still raw and an aggressive red with angry white scars standing out. 

The boy locks eyes with me and smiles, I manage to smile back as Marianne lets him know that I would be caring for him for the day. "Ok I have a few other patients to tend to, so have fun heal well, make sure he has anything he wants or needs." 

Once Marianne leaves I turn to the boy who's watching me expectantly, "hi I'm healer Malfoy, but you can just call me Lyra." He smiles a toothy grin and waves me over. "Can you speak?" I ask him softly seeing him wince as he swallows. 

He shrugs his shoulders, "do you want to try?" He shakes his head adamantly, "that's ok we can try later?" I ask tentatively, smiling once he nods at me. "You wanna play some games?" I ask noticing the abundance of board games by his bed, he nods eagerly and reaches for the exploding snap. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So where are we on the speaking?" I ask returning to Stefan after checking on a few other patients, "I- I was...practicing." I grin and clap for the young boy as he smiles proudly at me, "well done! Oh Stefan that was so good!" 

"Now... now that I can talk-" he winces and starts to cough pretty violently. "Shit." I hiss spotting the blood dotting his fingers and quickly pulling my wand from where it held my hair up in a tight knot, it was my favourite place to put my wand, very easy to get to and it kept my hair off my face. 

"You know a plus for having throat issues would be the tons of ice cream you get to eat." I say after stopping his cough, "really?" He asks excitement gleaming in his eyes, "yep it'll help soothe you, but first you have to drink this potion." 

"All of it." I add once he makes a distasteful face, "I'll be back let me just go and get you some ice cream." I say updating his chart and turning towards the door. "Lyra?" I turn back, "yes?" He swallows nervously as his eyes flit around. "What I was trying to say before was that...will you go out with me?" I look at his small hopeful face and feel bad, I didn't want to have to crush his heart. 

"Oh Stefan, I'm much too old for you." I say sitting beside him frowning slightly as his face falls. "I don't care about that besides it's my birthday today so I'm ten now." I smile and take his hand, "Stefan I care about that, you're still too young for me and I have a boyfriend." He sighs, "figures, all the pretty ones have a boyfriend." 

"If I wasn't too young then would you?" He asks hopefully, "if you were my age and I was single? Sure." I say deciding there's no harm in humouring him. "Ok now I'm gonna get that ice cream if that's ok with you?" He nods eagerly making me laugh. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"So your neck and throat is healing nicely, I'd say it should be perfectly fine by tomorrow." I say rubbing the healing balm over his throat which was significantly less red than it had been this morning. "Will you be with me tomorrow again?" He asks as I stand and put the balm away nearly done with my shift. "Uh I'm not sure but I'm sure that if you ask Marianne nicely she'll let me." I say, "I'll be sure to do that then, you're my favourite healer Lyra." I smile and hand him the potion. 

"And you're my favourite patient, also since it was your birthday and all I got you a small gift." I say pulling the small neatly wrapped package from my robes pocket. "Thank you Lyra you're the best!" I smile but hold it away from him, "finish the potion first." I instruct he nods and downs the thing. 

I look down for one second to tick it off his chart when I suddenly heard him cough aggressively, I quickly look up and pull my wand from my hair only to let out a small scream and drop it once the skin on his neck tears and his blood begins to cover me. 

"Stefan!" I run over and hold my hands over his neck pressing down tightly not sure what else I should do. "Stefan, oh merlin, Stefan it's ok you're going to be ok." I assure him as his wide eyed find mine. I tried to stay calm but my heart was hammering so fast and I felt fear consume me, how could I save him I had dropped my wand and if I removed my hands to retrieve it he would surely bleed out. 

Oh this was such a mess and I just hoped that I could clean it up. 

"L-Lyra...am I going to die?" I shake my head, my eyes burning with tears I refused to let fall, "no, I won't let you Stefan, you're not allowed you hear me?" He smiles through difficulty at me, "ok, I don't want to die yet." He whispers softly, "I promise you won't die." I tell him before I call out for help. 

My cries grow louder as his face begins to pale startlingly, "Stefan I need you to do something for me ok?" I ask knowing that I couldn't wait any longer. "I'm going to move my hands and I need you to put yours here and press down tightly ok?" I ask nervously, "ok." He winces. 

I quickly move my blood covered hands to grab his clean pale ones and place them over his throat, "hold it like this." I instruct before diving for my wand that had rolled under his bed, "blood replenishing potion!" I yell sticking my head out of his door. "I need blood replenishing potion now!" I say before quickly rejoining Stefan's side. 

"It's ok you can move your hands now." I say as I hold my wand up ready, I'd have to be quick. "You're going to save me now?" I nod and push his hair from where it was falling into his eyes, "I'm going to save you now." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You did everything right, like you were supposed to." Marianne says smiling sympathetically at me, "but I didn't save him, I didn't save him." She frowns and reaches for my hand that was covered in Stefan's now dried blood. "It happens Lyra, you can't save everyone." 

"But I promised." My voice is weak with exhaustion and so it cracks as the sorrow weighs it down. "These things happen Lyra you did everything you were supposed to, unfortunately Stefan's small body just couldn't handle the strain." My eyes close as the tears finally spill over. "You need to go home." She tells me before leaving my side. 

I don't look up once she returns, "as it turns out Noah's shift is also over so he's taking you home now ok?" I nod weakly. "Keep an eye on her ok? The first patient you lose is always the hardest." Her whispering is as weak as my voice and so I hear every word that she tried to keep from me. 

"Come on Lyra." Noah says holding his hand out for me to get up off of the floor I vaguely remember letting him help me up and his words of comfort before we get home. 

"Lyra? What happened are you ok?" I can't even find it in me to be pleased by the sight of Fred who's stood before me holding my face gently in his hands as though it were about to break any second. "It's not my blood." I manage to get out as he takes in my blood covered state. 

I stay zoned out as Noah explains everything to Fred who's watching me as though I'm about to go mental at any second. I don't even hear him as he takes my hand and leads me to the shower. 

The warm water wakes me slightly and his words that had been cloudy were now clear as a sunny day. I manage a small smile as he talks words of comfort, the both of us still fully dressed as warm water pours over us, washing away all the hurt from the day. 

"Fred?" I ask gaining his attention, "yes my love?" He asks as he gently rubs the blood from my face, "why do people die so suddenly?" I question not able to make sense of what had happened and how it had happened all within a manner of seconds. "I don't know, but I trust they're at peace now." 

"You do?" He nods with a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes as his fingers work their way through my hair, "I do." I go silent again and allow him to continue with cleaning me up. 

"Fred?" I ask once more looking up into his beautiful, beautiful brown eyes that I loved more than I could express, "you won't ever leave me will you?" He shakes his head with a soft smile, one that still is unable to reach his eyes as he kisses the top of my head. "Never."

I nod and lean forwards resting my head against his chest, "good because I don't know how I'd survive without you." I whisper sure that the pouring water drowns my words out, "well I guess it's a good thing that you'll never have to then isn't it?" 

"I'm going to hold you to that Weasley." I say finding a genuine smile make it's way to my face as one breaks out on his. "I'm counting on it Malfoy."


	79. Chapter 79

"You know I realised that I hadn't shown you everything that I know at Hogwarts." I say as Noah, Spencer and I were on our break and were roaming the castle. It'd been a week or so since I had lost Stefan and I was ok, it was sad and it hurt but it came with the job and like Marianne had told me, I couldn't save everyone. 

"There's more?" Spencer asks in disbelief, "well have you seen how big the castle is?" Noah adds. "What did you miss and why are we staring at this wall?" I don't say anything for a moment trying to get the room of requirement to show itself. "I mean it's a nice wall and all but I'd rather be looking at just about anything else." 

"What the-" 

"This is the room or requirement, it shows itself to anyone who needs it and it's always equipped for the users needs." I explain as the door appears. "And I haven't even uncovered all of Hogwarts mysteries there's so many I don't think anyone has seen them all." I say before we enter. 

I look around seeing how it looked like it did last year when we used it for the da meetings, I explain how we used it last year stopping once I found myself in front of the mirror. Cedric's picture was still there. 

I see Noah and Spencer join me in the reflection of the mirror but I don't pay them any attention, instead I reach for the picture and gently pull it from the mirror, I spot Spencer watching in confusion about to say something but Noah puts a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head telling him to leave me be. Something resonating with him because of the look on my face.

"So...who's that?" I look up from the picture, "my ex." I say glancing back down for a second feeling my eyes sting as I watch him laugh in the picture. "I thought you were happy with Fred, why're you still crying over your ex, was the breakup that bad?" 

"There was no breakup, he died." Both of their faces drop, "he's that boy we read about, Cedric?" I nod place the picture in my pocket, wipe my eyes and then shake my head, "come on let's go." I say swiftly cutting the conversation short. 

Usually I wouldn't of minded talking about Cedric but I was really feeling down about his death recently, especially because a significant date to us would be approaching soon.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra are you ok?" I hear Spencer ask from outside of my bedroom door, we were back home now and today was what would've been Cedric and I's anniversary. "I'm fine." I call back hearing a sigh, I wanted Daphne but she was at work and so was Fred. 

"What's wrong?" Spencer asks making his way in my room and laying beside me, it had become a habit between Spencer Daphne and I, if we'd had a bad day or something we'd go and lay with each other although we usually went to Spencer's room. 

I don't say anything instead I put my head on his chest and close my eyes trying to keep the tears at bay as he wrapped his arms around me. 

"Lyra I've got to go to work, are you going to be ok?" I sniff but let go of him and nod. "Are you not coming in today?" I shake my head, "Henry's got the day off too so you won't be here alone." I force a smile and nod, "ok you get to work then." He sends me a hesitant look but eventually leaves after going to Henry's room.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey Lyra, it's Henry... I'm just checking you're ok, you haven't um eaten all day and I was wondering if you were hungry." He barely gives me a minute to respond before he opens the door. "I made you a sandwich." He says with a nervous smile making me sit up. 

I'm not in the mood for food but I don't tell him that instead I take it with a smile knowing he was probably out of his comfort zone right now. "That's cedrics isn't it?" He questions pointing to the oversized jumper that was keeping me warm. After Cedric had passed his mother gave me a bunch of his thing especially his old clothes, I'd always slip a jumper of his on if I was alone and afraid at night or something they brought me a great sense of comfort. 

The one I was wearing right now was actually his favourite jumper, "is he why you're so down?" I nod again, "today would've been our 3rd anniversary." Henry nods in understanding. "Am I a bad girlfriend for still missing ced?" I ask after a second, "I am happy with Fred and I love him more than anything, but is it bad that I miss him?" 

"No, I know it's not the same but I miss him too, everyday it's ok to miss him. It doesn't make you a bad girlfriend it's natural, you loved him and he died suddenly when we were least expecting it, you're allowed to mourn him for however long you need to." 

"Thanks Henry." He smiles and let's go of me, "you know he loved you very much?" He asks making me smile and nod, "I heard more about you than anything during my time at Hogwarts, if it wasn't Fred always talking about you it was Cedric." 

"Really?" He nods with a small laugh, " they were so mad when Adrian cheated on you, Fred pranked him for a week straight, he would've kept going but the detentions piled up a bit." I laugh feeling my heart warm, I didn't know that. "No matter where I went you were somehow almost always the conversation topic, I felt like I knew you without ever speaking to you, Cedric would stop and smile if he spotted anything that reminded him of you, 'aren't those peonies beautiful? Peonies are Lyra's favourite flower, which makes sense, they're almost as beautiful as she is.'" 

I can't help but smile knowing that was a Cedric thing completely, "or look at how the lake sparkles in the sun it's almost as enchanting as Lyra's beautiful blue eyes although they're warmer and sparkle more." I let out a laugh that mangles into a cry as his words bring comfort but make me miss Cedric just that bit more, he looks at me hesitantly before hugging me and allowing me to cry into him. 

Henry then spends the rest of the day with me, it started with us swapping our favourites stories about Cedric but then it progressed to us just sharing any good stories with each other.


	80. Chapter 80

"Merry Christmas!" I jump as Daphne and Spencer jump onto my bed startling me awake, "hurry up!" I sit up confused rubbing my eyes at the excited faces, "hurry up for what? I just woke up." 

"It's Christmas Lyra!" I push their faces away from mine, "yes so you said already." I say halfway through a yawn, "oh are we having a party in Lyra's room?" Noah asks poking his head in as he was walking by, he ignores my no as he too jumps onto my bed joining the other two. 

"No were not having a party in here can you guys get out?" The three of them continue their excited conversation over my voice. "Hey Hen get in here we're having a party in Lyra's bed." I roll my eyes but can't help but smile as Henry walks in confused and perches himself on the edge of my bed. 

"Ok now that you're all here get out and get ready for our Christmas breakfast." Since all of us except Noah were going to be visiting our family today we decided to have a Christmas breakfast with each other so he wouldn't be so lonely. 

"But you said we had to stay in our pyjamas?" Noah asks confused, for Christmas breakfast we all had to make one breakfast dish each and we'd have our feast watching a muggle Christmas movie before exchanging presents and then the rest of us would be on our way. 

"Yes we do but that doesn't mean you can't fix your hair, also go and get whatever you need to make whatever it is you're making." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Fine we can team up." I say after we decide to make breakfast a competition, "ok dibs on Henry!" My eyes widen as Daphne waltzes herself over to the taller boy who just smiles silently. "Daphne! I thought we'd team up." I say in complete betrayal, "sorry but we all know Henry is the best cook here, we have this in the bag." She says high-fiving Henry, "you're on thin ice mister, stealing my dog and now my best friend." I say mock threateningly towards him as he laughs. 

"You just know that you're gonna lose against us." He smirks, "tell her again Henry." I stick my tongue out at them, "what about me?" Spencer asks, "oh Spence you know that I love you but..." he makes an offended face as I trail off. 

I knew that if he was on my team he'd bring my chances of winning down, no hate to Spencer he just wasn't the best cook and I wanted to win. "No problem because I want Spencer on my team." Noah shrugs throwing his arm over Spencer's shoulder making said boy blush slightly. "R-really?" He asks shocked. "Hell yeah, and when we win you can shove it in Lyra's face." He winks making me smile at the two. "Sorry but I'm going to be the one to win because I don't have either of them bringing me down." Both Daphne and Spencer make faces at me their teammates quick to assure them not to worry and that they'd win. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Oh my god move!" I smirk and concentrate on my own food as I listen to Noah and Daphne clash "you move!"Maybe it wasn't the best idea for all of us to be working at the exact same time but we'd all taken a corner of the kitchen each, although it seems the others were still finding ways to get on each other's nerves. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"And I'm DONE!" I shout in victory once I get my pancakes all ready. I had made a stack of green pancakes to resemble a tree and used various fruits and sweets to resemble decorations as well as whipped cream tinsel. I had also made plain pancakes and turned them into a winter wonderland themed scene using icing sugar and whipped cream for snow. Santa looking strawberries as well as reindeer bananas and marshmallow snowmen. I totally had this in the bag. 

"We're done too!" Noah and Spencer yell out a few moments later Henry and Daphne a few minutes after them. We all look at each other's creations impressed. Noah and Spencer had made cinnamon rolls that were squished together in the shake of a tree, green icing messily scribbled over it with sweets as baubles and stuff, it was pretty cute. 

Daphne and Henry however had made gingerbread and white chocolate pastries all different Christmassy shapes. I'm declared winner however just as I knew that I would be, "what's the winners prize?" I ask triumphantly as the others jokingly blame each other for losing. "Uh you can pick the Christmas movie." They shrug. 

"Huh I haven't watched any muggle Christmas movies someone else can pick." I shrug unbothered just happy to know that I had won. 

We all settle down and watch home alone the three who'd watched it before agreeing rather quickly, it was a really good film. "You know there's a second one, we can watch it tonight when you all come home." Noah says slightly nervously as though we're all gonna turn him down. "Yeah that sounds great." I say making him grin. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We all then separate deciding to do presents in the evening instead as we need to go and get ready so that we can go to our families on time. I get ready fairly quickly but don't leave yet since I was waiting for Fred to come and get me. I was obviously celebrating with the Weasley's, Hermione wouldn't be joining us though this year as she hadn't really spoken to Ron after the whole Lavender brown situation their friendship a bit on the rocks.

"Oh hey Noah." I smile as I see him at my door, "hey, wow you look great." He says making me grin, "thanks, so what's up?" I ask as he makes his way into my room properly. "Nothing much, I just wanted to say thanks you know for the Christmas breakfast." I shake my head, "no problem, like I told you we're your family now and we wanted to do something with you." I shrug as he smiles. 

"You know Christmas was my mom's favourite holiday, she'd always go all out, I used to think it was stupid but I miss it now." I frown as he tears up, "and this is the first Christmas without her that I've enjoyed, but I feel guilty for enjoying it because it was our thing and she's not here anymore so I can't do it with her." I nod sympathetically understanding how he felt, "it's ok Noah, don't feel guilty I'm sure your mum would want you to enjoy Christmas in her honour." He nods and wipes his eyes, "yeah you're right she would. You remind me of her you know, you're so kind like she was, you have a good heart Lyra." 

"You're not as bad as I thought you were you know, you're secretly a big softie." I say making him chuckle, "thanks... for everything." I shake my head, "no worries that's what friends do." Then all within a split second Noah leans forwards and places his lips on mine, his hand cupping my cheek softly.

My mind goes blank and I am unable to do anything for a second in shock, but I quickly pull myself together and pull away my eyes wide, "Noah what are you-" 

"Hey Lyra Fred's here!" Daphne calls out from the hallway. I close my eyes and try to unjumble everything in my mind, well shit what was I gonna do?


	81. Chapter 81

"Noah I have to go." I say trying to pull my arm out of his grip praying so hard that Fred wouldn't come to my room, I really could not handle if a fight broke out right now. 

"Wait Lyra I-" I shake my head, "Noah no, let go we're gonna talk about this later." He sighs and drops my arm taking a step back, I turn to him trying to think of how to reject him nicely, I didn't think of him that way I never had and I don't think I ever would. Besides I wanted him and Spencer to get together. Oh my god Spencer, he would be so crushed if he ever found out. 

"Lyra?" I close my mouth with a sigh and shake my head leaving Noah alone as I greet my boyfriend forcing a smile to my face when really my mind and my heart racing, afraid that he knew what had just happened. I try and shake off the look of confusion he gives me once I dodge the kiss he tried to give me, it just felt wrong like I needed to go and scrub my lips first, I felt so dirty. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra dear, merry Christmas!" Mrs weasley beams pulling me into her arms. "Merry Christmas!" I beam back as she kisses my cheeks. "Oh I swear you just become more and more beautiful every time I see you." She says making me giggle. "Thanks Mrs Weasley." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I'd been spending time with fleur and Evangeline, it seems other than Bill and I, Evangeline was the only other person who would spend time with the french girl, but right now I was making my way to the kitchen to get Evangeline some juice. 

"Yeah, well, passing over Fred's left buttock-" I see the twins right outside the kitchen just about to enter at the same time as me, my eyebrows furrowing at Harry and Ron's conversation. 

"I beg your pardon?" Fred asks as we enter the kitchen to see Ron and Harry sat at the table a pile as big as a mountain of sprouts before them. "Interesting conversation you got going there boys." I hum making Ron blush a bright red which makes his older brothers snort, "yeah that'd be your favourite topic wouldn't it?" My mouth drops for a second at Harry's words which make the other three boys erupt into laughter. 

"Aaah, George, look at this. They're using knives and everything. Bless them." Fred teases making his younger brother scowl, "I'll be seventeen in two and a bit months' time," Ron tells us grumpily, "and then I'll be able to do it by magic!"

"But meanwhile," George starts, sitting down at the kitchen table and putting his feet up on it, "we can enjoy watching you demonstrate the correct use of a -whoops-a-daisy!" His leg had 'accidentally' knocked Ron's arm causing the boy to slice his thumb. "You made me do that!" Ron scowled angrily, sucking his cut thumb. "You wait, when I'm seventeen-"

"I'm sure you'll dazzle us all with hitherto unsuspected magical skills," Fred yawned worsening the younger weasleys mood. "And speaking of hitherto unsuspected skills, Ronald," said George, "what is this we hear from Ginny about you and a young lady called - unless our information is faulty - Lavender Brown?" Ron turned a little pink, but did not look displeased as he turned back to the sprouts. "Mind your own business."

"What a snappy retort," Fred smirks. "I really don't know how you think of them. No, what we wanted to know was . . . how did it happen?"

"What d'you mean?" Ron asks them confused, "Did she have an accident or something?"

"What?"

"Well, how did she sustain such extensive brain damage? Careful, now!" Mrs. Weasley entered the room just in time to see Ron throw the sprout knife at Fred, who had turned it into a paper airplane with one lazy flick of his wand. "Ron!" She started furiously. "Don't you ever let me see you throwing knives again!"

"I won't," said Ron, "let you see," he added under his breath, as he turned back to the sprout mountain.  
"Fred, George, I'm sorry, dears, but Remus is arriving tonight, so Bill will have to squeeze in with you two."  
"No problem," George shrugged.

"Then, as Charlie isn't coming home, that just leaves Harry and Ron in the attic, and if Fleur shares with Ginny-"

"That'll make Ginny's Christmas," Fred muttered over to George and I. "-everyone should be comfortable. Well, they'll have a bed, anyway," said Mrs. Weasley, sounding slightly harassed.

"Percy definitely not showing his ugly face, then?" asked Fred. Mrs. Weasley turned away before she answered. "No, he's busy, I expect, at the Ministry."

"Or he's the world's biggest prat," Fred says, as Mrs. Weasley left the kitchen. "One of the two. Well, let's get going, then, George."

"What are you two up to?" asked Ron. "Can't you help us with these sprouts? You could just use your wand and then we'll be free too!"

"No, I don't think we can do that," said Fred seriously. "It's very character-building stuff, learning to peel sprouts without magic, makes you appreciate how difficult it is for Muggles and Squibs,"

"And if you want people to help you, Ron," added George, throwing the paper airplane at him, "I wouldn't chuck knives at them. Just a little hint. We're off to the village, there's a very pretty girl working in the paper shop who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous . . . almost like real magic. ..." pretty girl? I glance at Fred with my eyebrows slightly furrowed, he shakes his head reassuringly, Fred and I had been trying to think of a way to get Daphne and George together, both of them so painfully oblivious that it was proving difficult, very difficult. 

But I had kept plenty of men away from Daphne and I had assumed Fred was doing the same to George. "Anyways we'll be off now, have fun with the muggle work." Ron shoots me a pleading look at his brothers words, "fine I'll help." I say reaching for the wand up in my hair, "oh no you won't, they need the character building." Fred says swiping my wand before my fingers could even reach it. "Well Ickle ronnikins does anyways." Ron glances at me once more. 

"That's enough teasing from you, give me my wand and get going to your pretty girl." I say making him smirk, "jealous are we?" I scoff and roll my eyes, "as if, don't think too much of yourself." His smirk is unmoving. "Aww I'm flattered but you don't need to be jealous baby, George is the one who finds her pretty, you're the most beautiful girl in the world to me." 

"Yeah yeah, my wand?" I ask holding my hand out, "why do you always stick up for him?" He whines making me roll my eyes, "because you're always harassing him." I reply making Ron grin appreciatively in my direction. 

"He threw a knife at me Lyra." I make a face of mock surprise, "oh you poor baby," I say making him give me an unappreciative look, "you didn't get hurt and besides if you don't give me my wand back I'll throw a knife at you." He looks as though he's thinking it over before he leans down towards me. 

"Sorry love no can do but you should leave your hair down, you looks extra pretty with your hair down." He murmurs kissing my cheek before he quickly runs off with George my wand still clutched tightly in his hand. 

"Fredrick Gideon Weasley you better give me my wand back right now!" I shout out after him, "love you!" He yells over his shoulder as he and George run across the yard their laughter being heard for miles. "Idiot." I mutter understand my breath watching his retreating figure unable to stop the ghost of a smile flickering onto my lips.


	82. Chapter 82

Christmas had been fun but slightly awkward, Harry had started a small argument with Remus about Snape, the tensions between Mrs Weasley and Fleur hadn't improved, Fluer was the only person who didn't receive a Christmas jumper and she had annoyed Mrs Weasley further once she made fun of Mrs Weasleys favourite singer. Percy had shown up but his visit didn't last more than ten minutes leaving his mother heartbroken again once it was clear he had only come because his boss needed to talk to Harry. I had missed the whole thing the visit having been so short, but Ginny Fred and George had assured me very proudly how they'd pelted him with parsnips. 

I couldn't really enjoy Christmas that much, all that was on my mind though was how Noah had kissed me. I knew that I needed to tell Fred but I wasn't sure when was the right time because I knew how he'd react. So I didn't tell him on Christmas because I didn't want to ruin his mood and it'd been a few weeks but I still hadn't told him, not finding the right time. I guess there never would be a right time but we didn't see each other so often so I never wanted to ruin whatever time we had together. 

Noah had also even avoiding me and so we never really had our talk about how the kiss was completely inappropriate, but I wasn't too hung up on that I want entirely sure I wanted to even speak to him anyways. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra Noah you're both with Phoenix today." Both Noah and I share what may have been the first glance in weeks, "but I was with Phoenix yesterday." I say confused I was supposed to be on flour three today. "Yeah well he requested you so off you go." He requested me again? Noah's words from all those weeks ago were starting to get to me, healer Phoenix didn't actually like me did he? No of course he didn't I was being stupid, I shouldn't think too much of myself. Healer Phoenix was old enough to be my father not to mention he was happily married and had children of his own.

"You've been avoiding me." I speak up as I glance at Noah the two of us trapped in an awkward silence as we were alone in the elevator. "I'm sorry, I was embarrassed I know that you don't feel that way about me, you love Fred." I nod, "I don't even know why I kissed you, I was emotional and you were there and I let my emotions get to me but I respect your relationship with Fred, I do and I'm so sorry please don't kick me out of the apartment though." 

"I'm not going to kick you out, and it's ok since you know that I'm not interested, just don't let it happen again." He nods enthusiastically. "I won't, I won't I swear." I nod, "ok then let's just forget about it." I suggest making him grin. "So we're still friends?" I nod, "we're still friends." I assure him with a smile. 

"Don't do that." I blink, "do what?" What was he talking about? "Don't smile at me, don't be so nice." 

"W-what? Why?" 

"Because if you keep acting like this then I'll find it harder to resist the urge to kiss you again. And trust me I am fighting that urge to push you up against the wall and just kiss you like you've never been kissed before." My eyes widen and I take a slight step backwards, "but I'm not going to, I'm not going to because I know you don't want me to and I don't want to ruin our friendship and because I respect your relationship but god just don't be so nice, just for a short while until I'm over this." 

I don't know what to say at his rambling and all I can find myself doing is nodding, "y-yeah ok, I'll not be so nice." 

"So do you fall for everyone who's nice to you?" I ask after a long awkward silence. 

"Well I mean nobody's really that nice to me, and no not everyone, just you and Spencer." I can't help but turn to him, "Spencer?" He nods sheepishly running a hand through his hair, "w-well Spencer is like perfect, you know how you say Fred is your soulmate?" I nod, "I think Spencer is mine, well platonically at least. If he was into guys I would've made my move on him and not you." 

I wanted to tell him that Spencer was into guys well he was into Noah at least but I didn't want to out him, I felt like it was up to Spencer to do that when he was ready. "Why are you looking at me like that, look please don't tell me you're weirded out with me being attracted to guys because-" 

"No, no it's not that, I suspected as much but I just didn't know you were in love with Spencer." He shrugs, "yeah well I keep it hidden because I don't want to make him uncomfortable and I don't want to lose him, he's my person." 

"Well I mean you never know Spencer could feel the same." I say hoping Noah will confess his feelings to Spencer prompting the shyer boy to do the same and so that the two of them can be happy. "Spence like me?" He laughs at the thought making me frown. 

"Spencer would never like me, I think I'm unlovable but it's ok cause all I want is for him to be happy." I bite my tongue to keep myself from saying that he would be happy if they were together. 

I open my mouth but healer Phoenix calls us over disrupting our conversation and so I have to leave it and think of a way to get both boys to admit their feelings to each other.


	83. Chapter 83

"Happy birthday!" I'm awoken by both Spencer and Daphne who are holding a cake in front of my face. "Make a wish." I groan and roll over, "I just woke up, I need more time to think of a wish." I say beading them sigh, "hurry up before I drop the cake on you." I groan once more as I roll back over and glare at my best friends, "I wish you'd leave me alone so I can continue sleeping." 

"That's boring." Daphne hums but Spencer smiles apologetically at me and escorts Daphne away telling her to let me sleep more. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Are you awake now?" Daphne asks knowing full well I'd never been a morning person, "if you want to keep all your limbs I suggest you quit whilst you're ahead." She throws her head back with laughter as she wraps an arm around me, "you're exactly the same as you've always been, even using the same empty threats you had used on me when we were eleven, but let's not forget who actually knocked you out." I roll my eyes as Spencer looks between us. 

"You knocked Lyra out?" He asks intrigued, "she is exaggerating, Daphne did not knock me out, she punched me, once." I shrug making Daphne smirk smugly, "but that one punch was enough for you wasn't it?" I push her off me and laugh slightly not denying her words. "Why did you punch her?" I wince at the memory. 

"I deserved it, I called someone a mudblood." I admit ashamed of how I used to be. "You what?" Spencer seems appalled. "I know." I sigh. "Miss malfoy here thought she was pureblood royalty but it's ok I knocked her down a peg." Daphne winks making me laugh. 

"Yes, she did thankfully. I'm sorry but I didn't know that it was a bad word then but once Daphne educated me I never said it again." Daphne nods along, "it's true she became the wonderful Lyra we all know and love, I think I knocked some sense into her." I laugh along with her, "ok that's enough talking about stupid blood supremacy." I say wishing to get those horrid memories from my mind, I was no angel back in first year unfortunately my parents strong feelings on blood status were what I had believed in but thankfully I was better now. 

"Anyways what does the birthday girl want to do?" I shake my head, "not sure but that cake looked good." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Happy birthday my love." I smile at Fred's presence the others had gone to work but I had booked the day of per Fred's request and so the two of us were free to do whatever for the day. 

"Where are we going?" I ask as we walk hand in hand through the snow, a smile on my face as I heard it crunch beneath our feet. I loved the snow it was beautiful to look at and walking through it feeling it sink beneath your foot was fun. "I'm not entirely sure love I just thought we could go for a walk." I shrug happily not minding. Walking through the snowy wonderland was beautiful and it was even better that I was with Fred and the two of us could have a long catch-up over what we had missed over the past few weeks. 

"Wow." I smile as we stop in front of what may be the most beautifully scenic view I had ever seen. There was a small lake shining beautiful as the sunshine reflected over it. The trees surrounding it covered in snow completely the whole thing was untouched the snow fresh and smooth. I smiled at the serene scene before turning to see Fred with the same amount of awe on his face. 

"It's so pretty." I hum feeling so calm and at peace, I wished I could stay here forever. "Fred!" A surprised breath escapes my lips as I'm suddenly struck by a snowball. I turn to the red head at his loud laughter as he shakes the snow off his hands. 

A smirk curves into my own lips as I quickly bed down and scoop up a bunch of the snow from the ground, laughing as it hits him on the chest. "You're in for it now." He says before a full on snow fight breaks out between us. 

"That's cheating!" I exclaim as he uses magic to bewitch the snowballs to attack me, "it's called using my brain love you should try it." His smirk is wiped off his face once snow hits him flat in the face. "Not the face Lyra!" 

"If anything I think I've made some improvements." I say through laughter, "that's it." Suddenly he runs and tackles me to the ground, we hit the ground surprisingly softly and I look up at him breathlessly, anything I was going to say gone from my mind. 

"Hi." He smiles brushing my hair off my face, "hi." I mumble back getting completely entranced by him. He begins to lean down as though he were going to kiss me when all of a sudden cold overtakes my senses as he shoves a mound of snow in my face. "Fred!" I shriek out through laughter as I wipe it from my face. "Oh sorry." He says not sounding very sorry at all. "It's ok." I smile leaning up for a kiss deciding to give him a taste of his own medicine. Once he's relaxed I grab either side of his face and shove it down into the ground. "Lyra!" He splutters as I laugh madly hardly able to contain myself. 

His face was flushed red from the cold small bits of snow clinging to his eyelashes and his hair, his brown eyes sparkling just that bit more, the snow highlighting the small flecks of gold that lit up like stars in the nights sky making me want to stare into them forever. 

He looks as though he's about to say something when all of a sudden I sneeze, "sorry." I giggle as he laughs and helps me up. "Let's get you back inside, we don't want the birthday girl becoming ill now do we?" He says wrapping an arm around me as we begin to trudge back towards where we'd come from. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Now for your present." I look at Fred with a disbelieving smile upon my lips, "I told you I didn't want any presents." Pressing a quick kiss to my lips he smiles and holds out a small parcel, "don't worry my love, it's nothing big but I couldn't just not get you anything." 

I take the parcel with a smile and begun to uncurl the paper from the present carefully. "It's lipgloss?" I smile holding the small tube up, it was clear but I could see shimmering lights floating along. "It's pretty." I hum looking up at him with a thankful smile. "I made it for you, it's special." I look back up my eyes wide in awe.

"You made it?" He nods excitedly and starts explaining it to me, "well George helped but it was my idea and I did most of the work, it took a while to perfect but I had to get it done for you." I'm speechless for a moment, "what does it do?" 

"Well I had to practice on myself a lot so why don't I show you." My eyes widen in joy as he smacks his lips together slightly and then blows and a bunch of bubbles. "Bubbles!" I exclaim joyfully making him laugh. "I love bubbles! Oh my gosh!" I watch in wonder and ask him to do it again. 

"Here you try." He says holding the tube out, "it's flavoured too, strawberries and cream, your favourite." My heart warms, "stop it oh my gosh, Fred Weasley you're the best boyfriend in the world!" I tackle him to the ground peppering kisses all over his face, "mmm." I smile, "I can taste the strawberries and cream." I hum against his lips, before connecting them again. "Does it taste good?" He asks between kisses, "so good." 

"Do you wanna try it yourself or just keep on tasting from me." He asks pulling away his hands untangling from my hair and finding their way to rest on my waist. "I don't know tasting it from you is really fun." I smile my arms on his shoulders as my fingers begin to play with the hair at the nape of his neck making him grin, he loved it when I did that. 

"It's a really cool product, you should make more and sell them at the shop, you can do a whole range of different flavours ooh and you can make the bubbles have different shapes and you can make the gloss different colours." He smiles and nods, "I was thinking that but those are really good ideas, you sure you don't wanna work for me? You can make ideas for the wonder witch line." I shake my head with a smile, "I'll give you my good ideas for free, I already have a job that I love and if I worked for you then I'd be dating my boss and that's-" 

"That's hot." I slap his shoulder with a giggle, "Fred no." 

"Well I mean I think dating an older woman is hot." He winks making me shake my head, "it's like three months weirdo, get over it." I laugh, "you're still older." He smirks making drop my head on his shoulder, "stop it, you're making me sound like a cougar." His body shudders beneath me with his laughter, "I mean technically you are." 

"Fred!" 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You know you're the best boyfriend in the world?" I say after using up most of the bubble gloss, I really loved it not only was it really fun and bubbles one of my favourite things but the lipgloss aspect was really good, better than any lipgloss that I had. Plus he made it for me, he made me a whole product just to make me happy. This was thoughtful beyond anything and I would cherish this for the rest of my life. 

He moves his head forwards, closer to mine, "well you're the best girlfriend and you deserve the world." He murmurs brushing his nose against mine as I smile at him. "You wanna kiss some more?" I laugh and nod, "sure why not." 

"Um you could sound more enthusiastic." He says making me giggle, "I could just not kiss you at all?" I offer getting ready to get up off of him only for him to pull me back down and kisses me so passionately that I can't help but melt into him.


	84. Chapter 84

"Lyra!" My head snaps up from where I was sat in the hospital wing falling asleep to see Harry running in professor Slughorn close behind him with and unconscious Ron. 

"What happened?" I ask as I immediately get Ron into the bed, "poisoned drink." My eyes widen, "do you know what poison? Also how long ago was it ingested?" Professor Slughorn flounders a bit so I turn to Harry who tells me everything including how he used a bezoar to save him, "good thinking." I say knowing how Ron could've been dead if he hadn't. 

Madam Pomfrey joins us almost immediately as I tell her what I know and what I think he needs to be treated. She does a quick examination on him and nods. "Very well, I'll leave Mr Weasley in your capable hands miss Malfoy, good work." She says after coming to the same conclusion that I had. "He's going to be ok isn't he?" Harry asks making me nod, "he's going to be fine because of you Harry, he just needs to get his strength back up." I assure him making him breath out relieved. 

Some birthday it was for him, I think as I glance back down at Ron. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Blimey, it was lucky you thought of a bezoar," I heard George say in a low voice as I made my way back to Ron's bed, it was evening now and I'd been checking up on him every so often, more than I needed to but I couldn't help it I was worried and I needed to make sure that he'd be ok. "Lucky there was one in the room," said Harry quietly. 

Hermione gave an almost inaudible sniff. She had been exceptionally quiet all day. Having hurtled, white-faced, up to Harry outside the hospital wing and demanded to know what had happened, she had taken almost no part in Harry and Ginny's obsessive discussion about how Ron had been poisoned, but merely stood beside them, clench-jawed and frightened-looking, until at last they had been allowed in to see him.

"Do Mum and Dad know?" Fred asked Ginny.  
"They've already seen him, they arrived an hour ago-they're in Dumbledore's office now, but they'll be back soon..." There was a pause while they all watched Ron mumble a little in his sleep.

"So the poison was in the drink?" said Fred quietly.  
"Yes," said Harry at once; he could think of nothing else and was glad for the opportunity to start discussing it again. "Slughorn poured it out-"

"Would he have been able to slip something into Ron's glass without you seeing?"

"Probably," said Harry, "but why would Slughorn want to poison Ron?"

"No idea,"Fred frowned. "You don't think he could have mixed up the glasses by mistake? Meaning to get you?" I frown at this, I don't think Slughorn had anything to do with this, he looked beyond frightened and confused once they brought Ron to the hospital wing, like he couldn't work out how this had happened. "Why would Slughorn want to poison Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I dunno," said Fred, "but there must be loads of people who'd like to poison Harry, mustn't there? 'The Chosen One' and all that?"

"So you think Slughorn's a Death Eater?" said Ginny.  
"Anything's possible," said Fred darkly. My mouth runs dry as I listen to their conversation stopping my checking up on Ron, this couldn't have been Draco could it? 

"He could be under the Imperius Curse," George added.  
"Or he could be innocent," Ginny supplied. "The poison could have been in the bottle, in which case it was probably meant for Slughorn himself."

"Who'd want to kill Slughorn?"

"Dumbledore reckons Voldemort wanted Slughorn on his side," said Harry. "Slughorn was in hiding for a year before he came to Hogwarts. And...And maybe Voldemort wants him out of the way, maybe he thinks he could be valuable to Dumbledore."

"But you said Slughorn had been planning to give that bottle to Dumbledore for Christmas," Ginny reminded him. "So the poisoner could just as easily have been after Dumbledore." I try and drown their conversation out not wanting to think of it, hoping with all of my soul that it wasn't Draco who had done this, even though deep down I knew it couldn't have really been anyone else.

"Then the poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well," said Hermione, speaking for the first time in hours and sounding as though she had a bad head cold. "Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself."  
"Er-my-nee," croaked Ron unexpectedly from between them.

They all fell silent, watching him anxiously, but after muttering incomprehensibly for a moment he merely started snoring. 

"Is he ok?" I turn around to see Fred who had asked me the question. "He's ok, just needs rest." I assure him softly making him smile at me, "thank you." I shake my head, "firstly Harry literally did everything and secondly it's my job." He grabs my hand to stop me and shakes his head, "I know it's your job but you don't have to spend this much time with him, I know your shift finished hours ago." 

"Well it's Ron, I want to make sure he's ok I do care about him." He nods, "I do too, even if we tease him a bit." I squeeze his hand gently at the nerves in his voice. "He knows that." 

"Is Noah ok?" My head snaps back up fear bubbling up in me wondering why Fred had asked that, it'd been three months since Noah had kissed me and I still hadn't told Fred which was bad I know, but the longer I waited the less it seemed I should tell him. "I don't know, why?" Fred shrugs, "just he looks a bit off." I turn to see where Fred had been looking across the room at Noah who was indeed watching us with a guilty look on his face. We'd kinda gone back to normal as he had claimed he was over me.

I was going to tell him right there and then but it just didn't seem right not when his younger brother was laying unconscious after being poisoned, besides I knew Fred would completely freak and may have even started a fight with Noah and I didn't want that, especially not now when he was already emotional. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Where is he? Where's my Won-Won? Has he been asking for me? What's she doing here?" It'd been a few days and Ron's girlfriend had just come barrelling into the hospital wing pushing her way past the professors who'd gathered now trying to determine what lead up to this. Anyways lavender was glaring at Hermione who'd stood and was giving her own unimpressed look back. 

"I might ask you the same question." She shoots back making lavender scoff, "I happen to be his girlfriend." She replies a sort of smugness behind her words. "And I happen to be his... friend." Ginny and I share a glance at this awkward encounter.

"Don't make me laugh. You haven't spoken in weeks. I suppose you want to make up with him now that he's suddenly all interesting." Hermione looks beyond pissed at lavender's words, "He's been poisoned, you daft dimbo! And for the record, I've always found him interesting." 

Before anyone can say anything else Ron starts with his mumbling again, "Ah see? He senses my presence. Don't worry, Won-Won. I'm here. I'm here." Lavender says leaning across the bed to her boyfriend, who mumbles some more before his words become distinguished.

"Hermione. Hermione." My eyebrows raise as Ginny and I share yet another look, Hermione's face warms and lavenders drops completely as she squeals out a cry and runs off in tears. I snort into my hand feeling kinda bad for the girl, she really did seem to like Ron and that must've stung but I couldn't help find it a bit funny too. 

"Oh to be young and to feel love's keen sting. Well, come away, everybody. Mr. Weasley's well attended." Dumbledore says making me send Hermione and Ron a smile before making my way over to a first year who'd fallen down the moving staircase.


	85. Chapter 85

"Hey Lyra I made you some tea." My eyebrows furrow at Fred and George who were smiling at me 'innocently' from the burrow kitchen, "I didn't ask for tea?" I reply confused, knowing they'd probably done something to it. 

"We were just being nice." They shrug making my eyebrows furrow, "you don't do that." I say inspecting the cup, "oh don't be so dramatic." Mrs Weasley then enters and looks at the three of us in confusion, "hey Mrs Weasley do you want some tea?" I offer holding the cup out to her. 

She meets my eye before glancing at the twins who's eyes had widened a knowing smile making its way to her face. "Yes dear that sounds lovely thank you." The twins eyes widen even more if possible and I have to hide a smile as I pass over the tea cup. 

"W-wait no mum that tea isn't much good let me make you another, the way you like it." Fred says quickly trying to get the teacup from his mother who like me was trying to hide her amusement. "Don't be ridiculous honey, this is perfectly fine." She smiles ignoring how both boys are desperately trying to get her to put the cup down. She sends me another knowing smile as she begins to lift the cup to her lips when suddenly it's snatched out of her hands and Fred gulps the whole thing making all of our eyes widen. 

"There, I'll um make you a new one." My hand slaps itself over my mouth so fast once Fred suddenly turns orange, "merlins balls Fred you're orange!" I say not even trying to hide my laughter, which makes him scowl. "Don't." He says grumpily as I try and calm my laughter but to no avail. "Now now boys you'll have to try harder if you want to outsmart Lyra." Mrs Weasley grins over at me as she too laughs, even George is laughing, Fred however turns on his heel and stomps out like a toddler throwing a tantrum after promising me to get me for this.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Fred!" I scream after getting out of the shower to find my beautiful hair ruined, "what's wrong love?" He asks with a fake sense of curiosity a smug smile on his face as I glare at him, "what did you do to my hair?!" I seethe flicking a piece of the now green coloured hair from my face. "I think it looks lovely." He smiles all innocently running his fingers through it making my glare deepen, "fix it right now." I had tried everything but nothing was changing it back, "why don't you?" He asks knowing full well he'd done something to prevent it going back to normal. "Well have fun with the new hair, which I again think looks beautiful." He winks as I grab my wand and point it at him, he shuts the door just in time to miss the hex I send his way. "I'm going to get you back for this." I shout hearing him laugh from the other side of the door, "sure you will."

"So how was work, did everyone love the hair?" I glare as I walk past Fred deciding to ignore him completely, it was mortifying having to spend the day with such revolting hair and I was really going to get him bad for this. My hair was a prized possession to me and he knew that so I was going to have to find a way to hit him where it hurt. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Today was the twins birthday and also April fools, which I found fitting it was also the day I'd be getting my revenge on Fred who took his stupid hair prank so far that it resulted in me having to cut my hair. What I had planned was really mean, like very mean but I couldn't say he didn't deserve it and so I was going to go through with it because honestly the years of pranks he'd put me through had led up to this. 

I find Fred alone just how I needed him and quickly made my way over greeting him with a kiss, a very long and passionate kiss the kind that could make you smile stupidly for hours. "Happy birthday George." I smile once I pull away wiping Fred's grin off his face so fast, I felt bad but I found it funny, which was mean I know but I guess that tiny part of evil in me was stronger than I thought. 

"What?" Fred asks confusion all over his face and his words I have to hold the urge to laugh, "oh right I know we said we wouldn't do it again but I thought your birthday was a special enough occasion to let it slide." I say as Fred just stares at me for a moment, "come again." 

His confusion is too funny and I just can't help myself from laughing loudly and stupidly, "what is going on?" 

"April fools!" I yell making him jump, "happy birthday Fred, I hope you'll think twice before messing with my hair again Mr Weasley." A ton of emotions flash across his face, too fast for me to process before he simply blinks at me, "you are evil miss malfoy." He says with what seems to be an adoring smile, "why thank you." I giggle making him shake his head, his smile still present. 

"I didn't think you had it in you." He admits making me grin, "well I am a woman of many talents darling." He nods, "that you are but wow, my heart dropped when you said George's name."

"I'm sorry but I told you I want going to get you back, you shouldn't have underestimated me." I shrug, "it was pure evil, but I know just how you can make it up to me." He says making me raise a brow, "you do?" I question making him nod as he grips me by the waist and pulls me into him, "I do."


	86. Chapter 86

"What're you doing?" Fred asks as he walks into my flat to see me sat on the ground tons of books sprawled out in front of me. "Studying." I shrug simply before going back to my studying, see when you were training to be a healer you had to take an exam at the end of your first trainee year to see if you could continue training, if you passed then you'd take another at the end of your third year. If you failed however you could either redo the first year and reattempt the exam or you could quit.

We learnt that Henry had actually failed his first year and was redoing it and so we had study nights in the flat now, so that we could all help each other. I wanted us all to pass, we started the year together and we were gonna progress together. The others were on study break right now though. 

"It's study group." I elaborate as Fred watches me eyebrows raised, "where's the group?" He asks in confusion looking around the empty room, "oh they're either on break right now or they're done for the day, I can't remember." I say with a sigh as my hair falls into my face again. Fred nods and wordlessly sits behind me starting to gently untangle my hair with his fingers. 

We sit in silence Fred braiding my hair whilst I study to keep it from my face so that I could concentrate. I smiled at the action turning to face him now unable to focus on what was in front of me, "yes?" He asks, "you're too distracting Weasley." A proud smile makes its way to his face at that, "can't help my dashing good looks love." He winks making me laugh, "it's not your looks, it's you." I say cleaning up all the study materials. Before joining him on the couch curling up into his side easily. 

I end up laying in his lap his hand in mine, I play with his fingers as we speak absentmindedly my mind relaxing from all the studying I had done today. 

"Hey." I glance over at the door to see Noah and Daphne enter the flat smiling over at us, "hey." I wave back getting up when Daphne calls me over, "Lyra!" She slaps me making me yelp and quickly lift my arms to protect myself, "what?" I ask as she slaps me again. "You didn't tell me that Noah kissed you." My eyes widen, "I forgot."

"You forgot? Do you know how dumb you sound right now?" She says, "what? I did forget to tell you, it wasn't that important to me." She lets out a sigh, "well did you at least tell Fred?" She sighs once more and begins hitting me at the look on my face, "Lyra." 

"I know, but every time I was going to it just seemed like such a bad time, and I feel like the longer I don't tell him the less easier it will be once I do." I explain, "so you are going to tell him?" I nod, "well do it soon then." She advises, "I will I'm just looking for the right time." 

"Lyra this isn't like telling him you love him or something I don't think there is a right time to tell your boyfriend that another boy kissed you." 

"I'm sorry?" Both of our eyes widen as we turn to see Fred stood a few feet from us, clearly having heard what Daphne had just said. "Did she just say another boy kissed you?" I feel my mouth go dry and so all I can do is nod. "What? Who kissed you?" Just as I'm about to reply Noah joins us all in the kitchen, "hey what're we talking about?"

I don't know if I had a look on my face or if it was Daphne but Fred put it together and turned to glare at Noah. "You kissed Lyra?!" He asks his fists curling up, arms flexing which highlighted the veins below. 

"Yes and I-" 

"Fred!" Fred suddenly struck Noah across the jaw sending him to the ground, a full brawl breaks out with neither of us able to stop them, I knew it was futile to even try Fred was way too strong for me. The years he spent on the Gryffindor quidditch team as a beater seeing to it. You had to have quite a lot of strength to be able to whack the bludgers away also needing good balance and coordination to stay upright on a broom. And fed was one of the best beaters I'd ever seen, he and George were amazing and even though I had never really liked quidditch that much it was nice to watch them play. 

I run for my wand and return to see Fred on top of Noah punching his face over and over. "Stop it!" I yell separating them, "he started it." Noah says wiping the blood from his nose. 

"Violence isn't the way." I say looking Fred who was glaring at the ground. "Fred." He looks up at me showing the minimal damage Noah had inflicted. "I want him out." I look between both boys Noah simply hangs his head waiting for me to kick him out in the cold. "No." I startle even myself. 

"No, he's my friend and he has nowhere else to go." I say standing my ground, Noah and I had worked things out, he felt nothing for me it was just a mix of emotions kind of thing. "Some friend." Fred says darkly, "it was a misunderstanding, you didn't even give me a chance to explain." 

"When?" I don't speak for a moment, "when?" He treats making me avoid his gaze, "Christmas." He lets out a humourless laugh, "Christmas? You had months to explain Lyra, why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because I knew you'd react like this and I didn't want to ruin what little time we spend together. It mean nothing it didn't even last a second, I didn't kiss back and he never kissed me again." 

"Oh shall I thank him for that?" I shake my head, "Fred don't make-" 

"It's a pretty big deal Lyra. He kissed you Lyra, you're supposed to tell me these things and you're gonna let him continue living with you?" 

"Well we spoke things out and-" 

"Oh I bet you did." He mutters chuckling under his breath. "We did, Noah doesn't have feelings for me, he was just emotional at the time and it gave him a lapse in judgment and that's over now." 

"That's true, I don't feel anything more than friendship for her and even if I did I respect your relationship." Fred glares as Noah speaks, "like you respected it when you kissed her?" 

"I am sorry about that but it'll never happen again." Fred just scoffs and looks away, "it's ok Lyra I can leave," I shake my head, "no, you're not going anywhere this is your home too just go to your room." 

"So you're just going to let him stay?" I sigh, "Fred-" he turns around behind to walk away, "Fred wait!" I call out following after him, "I'll see you later." He says before slamming the door shut on his way out. 

"What's going on?" Spencer asks through a yawn as he joins us seemingly having just woken up. "Oh my god Noah your face!" He looks between us all wanting someone to say something. "Fred and Noah got into a bit of a fight after Fred found out that they kissed." 

"You kissed Noah?" Spencer asks utter betrayal in his words, "no, Noah kissed me and it wasn't even like a proper kiss, I think meant nothing to either of us." I say quickly, "why didn't you tell me?" Noah's looking between us confused. "I..." I don't know what to say. 

"He loves you." I tell Spencer after following him to his room, "that's not funny." He says, "I'm not joking he does, he told me he's in love with you but that he hides it because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable. He's In love with you but he's too scared to tells you because he doesn't want to lose you." 

"And did he tell you this before or after you kissed him?" 

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me he was over emotional because of his mum, he said I reminded him of her and then next thing you know he had his lips on mine, I didn't kiss him back and I pulled away almost immediately." 

"You know, you are kinda like his mom." Spencer says after a moment tilting his head as he looks at me, "that's weird." I say before joining in with his laughter. 

"He's in love with you, so I say you go for it, make a move." Spencer's eyes widen and he shakes his head, "have you met me? I can't do that." 

"Why not? It's not like he'll reject you." I shrug, "but what if he doesn't want to be with me? He's not a relationship kind of guy." I shrug again, "I don't know, but neither will you unless you try." 

"Are you ok?" Spencer asks after a moment, "I don't know, Fred's angry and I get it, I should've told him but I don't know what to do." He frowns and wraps his arms around me, "it's ok, he'll cool down and things will work out, he loves you too much to stay mad for long."


	87. Chapter 87

I hadn't seen Fred in weeks, I'd been so busy and tired from work and every time I'd gone to his flat he'd either be asleep or down in the shop where he would be too busy to talk.

I sigh at his empty bedroom, he was working late again but enough was enough I was going to wait for him this time, no matter how long it took. 

"Fred?" I mumble through a yawn, it seems I'd fallen asleep whilst waiting, but as I rubbed my eyes under Fred had joined me in his bed. He kisses my temple softly before holding me close to him, I turn around to face him, "I'm sorry." He shakes his head and kisses me again. "It's ok but sleep, I'll be here when you wake up." 

I wake before Fred and find his arms wrapped tightly around me as he slept peacefully. I didn't even try to move not wanting to wake him, just wanting the peace to last a short while longer before we got into whatever he was going to say about what had happened weeks ago. 

I glance up from where my head lay on his chest watching the peace on his face as he slept. The world around him seeming non existent as a small smile graced his lightly parted lips, soft snores escaping them letting me know that he was indeed resting. 

"Why're you watching me sleep?" His voice is slightly raspy as its used for the first time since night, "I'm not." I protest making him crack a grin, "weirdo." He mutters with half a chuckle as he uncurls himself from me and stretches. "Sue me you looked cute." I say stretching myself as I sit up across from him. "I always look cute." He winks making me shake my head with a smile. 

"I'm sorry." I say ruining the atmosphere we were in, "I should've told you I know, but there just never seemed to be a good time, you know? And I didn't even think about it that much because it held no importance to me, like it was so insignificant that I didn't even tell Daphne." 

"It doesn't matter, I'm not mad at you." He assures reaching for my hand, "I love and trust you and I'm sorry for how I reacted, I know that I shouldn't get so jealous but I just can't help it." 

"I know, and it's ok it was actually kinda hot." A proud smile makes its way to his face. "I know it was." I giggle, "but don't do it again." He sighs over dramatically, "fine, just for you." 

"Thank you." I smile leaning over to kiss his cheek, squealing once he grabs onto my arms and pulls me into his chest. "Ugh I missed you." He says holding me tight as I squirm to get comfortable, "maybe you shouldn't have avoided me then." I say my voice coming out muffled against him. "I wasn't avoiding you, I've been working." 

I look at him, "ok I was avoiding you, just a bit but it was really hard to do." I hum and bury my face back into his chest, "I know, I'm pretty irresistible." I joke smiling once I feel his chest vibrate at the throaty chuckle he gives. "That's true." 

"You wanna lay in bed all day?" He offers after a moment I smile up at him, "sounds perfect." I hum as he begins to trace random shapes on my back as he tells me stories from the shop and some new products that he and George were thinking about.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Lyra?" I rub my eyes and shuffle over to my door faintly hearing someone's panicked voice on the other end. "Draco?" My eyes widen, sleep suddenly the last thing on my mind as I see my younger brothers pale face and bloodshot eyes tears still making their way down his face. 

I quickly pull him into my arms, "I-I can't do this anymore." He sobs clinging to me tightly, "I can't, I can't." He keeps repeating those words under his breath as I hold and comfort him. "Draco I'll help you, I will I swear I won't let anything happen to you, just please let me help you." 

"You don't understand, you can't help me! It's too late!" He cries pulling away from me, "Draco-" 

"No! You don't understand Lyra, you don't have to go through what I do! You left you left me, you left mother and father and you just turned your back on us!" 

"That's not fair." I say my voice weak, " that's not fair and you know it! I asked you- no I begged you to come with me I begged and begged so many times and you wouldn't and that's not my fault." I reply, I understood that he was scared and he was hurt and angry but he ignored me and my attempts to help multiple times. 

"He kicked me out, he made me leave when I didn't want to, he always put me down, and I couldn't take it anymore. I was kicked out, I didn't turn my back on anyone, mother and father turned their back on me! I didn't get any contact from them other than them asking for me to break up with Cedric. And father was there, he was there when his beloved master killed the boy I was in love with." 

"I couldn't stay there, Draco you're the one who never understood, you were doted on all the time! All the time and you let it get to you. You never cared about bettering yourself, you were spoilt, ignorant, arrogant and just overall a jerk! You can't resent me for being brave enough to do what you never could, you were wrong, you idolised father and his stupid bullshit ideals, I tried to teach you better but you never wanted to listen, I tried to get you away but you wanted to stay. You wanted this and it's not my fault that it's not everything you thought it would be." 

His mouth parts and his eyes widen at what I had just said to him. My heart stops and I feel bad immediately, I shouldn't have said that, it really wasn't what he needed to hear right now. "Draco I-" He shakes his head and takes a step back. "No you're right." He murmurs reaching for the door handle, "Draco wait." I call out reaching for him but he's gone faster than I can do anything. I close my eyes and drop my head on the door, I was the worst.


	88. Chapter 88

So Ginny and Harry were together, that wasn't surprising seeing how Harry had come to me plenty of times wanting to speak about his feelings for Ginny and how he felt like he shouldn't because you know Ron. I was always quick to assure him that it wasn't a bad thing and that he should be with whomever he wanted especially since Ginny and dean had broken up. Apparently he made quite the spectacle suddenly swooping her down into a kiss in front of all the gryffindors and he was pleased to know that Ron wasn't mad at him. 

Noah and I hadn't really spoken since the whole fight, we kind of just avoided each other now, things very tense between us especially if Fred was around. I felt kind of bad though, we could still be friends couldn't we? Especially since he was so madly in love with Spencer now and I was completely out of the question I wanted nothing more than to get them together although Fred kept claiming I was no Cupid and lacked the capabilities to get two people together. I would disagree though I feel like I had made quite the impact on Draco and Taylor. 

Speaking of Draco he was also avoiding me which I guess I deserved, I shouldn't have gone on at him, not now at least he was still just a scared boy who'd been brainwashed into this. But I just couldn't help it especially when he'd tried to turn the blame on me, he could've said anything and I wouldn't have cared but I did not turn my back on him. 

"Hey Taylor." I stop the girl abruptly making her look up at me slightly startled. "Hi." She smiles kindly, "Um have you seen Draco recently?" I ask she frowns slightly as she shakes her head, "sorry no, he's been quite distant lately." I let out a sigh and nod, "it wasn't because of me, was it?" She questions hesitantly, "why would it be because you?" I ask confused making her blush. "W-we kissed, well he kissed me and then he just started ignoring me. I thought I'd done something." She shrugs making me grin. 

"You kissed?" I ask excitedly making her blush deepen as she nods, "no way that's great!" She looks startled again by my enthusiasm, "Don't worry about it, Draco is being distant cause we had an argument, you haven't done anything. He really likes you actually." She glances back up a surprised smile making its way to her face. "Really?" I nod with a smile. 

"Yeah, but don't tell him I told you that." I liked Taylor, her and Blaise were the only two that I did like from Draco's friends. "Could you do me a favour please? Could you check up on him, make sure he's ok?" I ask knowing he wouldn't be so likely to push her away. "Yeah sure, um I've got to get to go now, you know how Snape is." 

"Yeah, yeah he's the worst you better get going. Thank you though, it was nice talking to you." She nods with a smile, "you too." And then she's off her pretty brown her bouncing over the green of her robes, I hoped one day Draco would get to be with her properly. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey." I grin as Spencer comes running towards me so fast that he loses his footing and slides to the ground harshly on his face, "oh no, are you ok?" I ask through laughter as I help him up, "Lyra Lyra guess what!" He's smiling real big and real stupid as blood pours from his nose, he doesn't pay that the slightest attention though. 

"One second Spence, I'd love to know what's exciting you more than anything but you broke your nose sweetie." It's like my words mean nothing to him, he doesn't acknowledge his broken nose though and instead just nods him he stupid goofy grin taking up his face. 

"Ok what's going on?" I ask with a smile as happiness and excitement literally roll off him in waves. "I did it." My eyebrows furrow, did what? "Oh my god," he grumbles with an eye roll once I haven't immediately caught on. "I asked Noah out." 

His smile returns as I jump out of my seat, "oh my god no way! You did it?!" I squeal grabbing him by the shoulders as his happiness grows at my enthusiasm, "aaah you did it, I'm so proud of youuu!" He laughs as I over exaggerate my words. "When are you going out? What are you doing? Tell me everything." I beam glad that they were finally, finally getting together I hadn't even known them for as long as they'd been pining over each other but I loved the both of them so much and was so happy for them. Also I like to think I helped in pushing them together which I could now go and shove in Fred's face, he claimed he was better Cupid than I but how many relationships had he pushed together? Non that I knew of and I think it was safe to say I had accomplished two. 

"What's with all the screeching? I didn't know we were living with banshees too now." Daphne asks as she joins us, "he did it." She looks confused. "I asked Noah out." A smile breaks out on her face too as she joins us with the cheering, "I still stand by saying you could do better, but like have fun I mean I guess he's good in bed since he brings so many people over. Or maybe he's bad and that's why he never brings the same person home twice." 

"Daphne!" I scold looking at the face Spencer now had on, "sorry sorry I'm kidding, I know he's good he never fucking uses the silencing spell, like be aware dude you don't live alone, you make sure to use it yeah when he takes you up to his shit hole." I drop my head into my hand as Spencer chokes his whole face becoming red. 

"Also speaking of dates, I've got one too on Friday, yay me because honestly it's been longer than I would like to admit." My eyebrows furrow as I look at her, "who?" 

"Oh it's such a crazy story but Adam, we bumped into each other and you know our date to the Yule ball was so memorable that he didn't waste anytime in asking me out said he'd always meant to back at Hogwarts." Wait what about George? 

"Wait Adam? My Adam?" Spencer asks suddenly, "yeah isn't that funny, imagine if I end up your sister in law?" I don't think Spencer likes that idea as much as Daphne does seeing how his face had paled significantly, "uh could you do me a favour and not tell him about Noah and I, I just haven't told him about the whole liking boys thing yet." She nods immediately, "yeah no, I got you don't worry. Besides I don't think we'll be doing much talking if you know what I mean." She winks making me shake my head amusedly, "because that is one person I know for sure is good in bed." Spencer chokes again as I muffle my laughter into my hand. 

"Daphne that's gross don't talk about my brother like that, there are certain things I just don't want to know." He says before we all just end up laughing. God I loved these stupid morons so much I think to myself as I look between them.


	89. Chapter 89

"Lyra, Sophia you're with Phoenix." I hold in a sigh, "Marianne." She nods, "I know I know, but everyone has to do the workshop over the next few days anyways plus he requested you and he's higher up than I, there's nothing I can do. Sometimes the higher up healers chose a trainee they would like to mentor." I roll my eyes, "but I wanted you to be my mentor." I pout making her smile, "it's ok Lyra, I'll have a talk with him see what I can do. You'll be with me no matter what tomorrow." I grin thankfully before joining Sofia, "we barely ever get to work together." She says excitedly taking her arm in mine. 

"Ooh workshop, this is gonna be fun just like when we were back at school." She says dragging me over to one of the open desks before a bunch of other trainees and slightly higher up healers join. 

The workshop was pretty fun it consisted of different skills needed for healing and just making sure everyone was up to date and learning anything new that there was, plus I enjoyed spending time with Sophia I felt like I saw her considerably a lot less than I saw the others. Especially since if I didn't see one of the others at work I'd end up bumping into them at home. "Hey Sophia, you know we started this like study group thing, for the first year exam you should totally come by and study with us." I offer feeling bad I hadn't before. 

"Oh really that sounds like fun." She smiles, "yeah I study every night so just come by whenever." I offer, "sounds great thanks." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"You'll be fine if I quickly go and check on my patient right?" I quickly peak over the potion I was stirring and nod at Sophia, "yeah that's fine go." I say making sure to put my attention back on the potion not wanting it to ruin. Potions could be pretty tricky like that and so you had to keep your attention on them a lot. 

"Oh hey that was quick." I say once I feel someone sit beside me, "oh...you're not Sophia." I mumble as I look to the side to see healer Phoenix sitting beside me. "I just wanted to check on your progress, see if you need any help." He says sending me a smile, "I'm good thanks." I say turning back to the potion cursing that I'd done everything and now just had to wait for the colour to change. 

"Oh it looks like it's going very well, I didn't know you were such a talented potion maker." He compliments making me grin slightly, "thanks but so-" I suddenly feel like all the breath has been knocked out of my chest and my whole body runs cold as I feel healer Phoenix's hand on my leg. My throat constricts uncomfortably and I glance to the side to see him looking into my cauldron acting as though nothing were wrong. 

My mouth has run dry and I spare a glance at him once more, why was he acting as this was normal? Was I overreacting? Was this truly nothing? I mean sure he'd always touched me before but that was in the arm or the shoulder but it was never my thigh and it never lingered this long. 

"Um Sophia helped." I finish my earlier sentence after swallowing hard the lump in my throat making it painful. It's ok it's nothing, it's nothing. I repeat in my mind almost choking once his hand begins to move back forth. 

"Right well I'll leave you to it, this potion is in very capable hands." He smiles squeezing my thigh before he stands and walks away. 

"Are you ok?" I look to see Sophia was now sat beside me her face full of concern. "Yeah...I'm fine." I tell her, her presence shaking me from the daze I had been in. "Are you sure." I blink rapidly and move to the cauldron, "oh I messed it up." Sophia looks at me uncertainly, "it's ok we can fix it, here just sit down a moment." She says sitting me down before tending to the potion that my lack of care towards had been ruined. 

'I should've done something, I should've stopped him. Don't cry, not here. It's ok it'll all be ok next time we'll stop him.' 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

There was a thunderstorm tonight and I hated thunderstorms. They were the worst and had terrified me since I was a child and laying in the darkness of my room was not helping. My first thought would've been going to Daphnes room, I always did on thunderstorm nights but she wasn't here. She was staying over at Adam's place, again. My next move would be going to Spencer who was also out, working extra shifts at the hospital to get a bit extra money for his date with Noah which they still hadn't had only because Spencer was going over the top and wanted everything perfect.

That left me alone and unsure on what to do. 

Even paddy kept me calm during the storms but that felt years ago though since the traitor now spent all of his time with Henry, you'd think he was Henry's dog. 

I can't take the darkness and the thunder or the lighting any longer so I swallow my pride and shuffle over to Henry's room. "Henry? Can I come in please?" I mumble so quietly I doubt he'd even hear. 

"Lyra? What's wrong are you ok?" I feel bad once he opens the door and I see him rub his eyes as it's obvious that he had been sleeping. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He shakes his head, "no no I'm awake, what's wrong?" He asks, "oh uh it's stupid, but the thunderstorm. They scare me and it's hard being alone, I know it's dumb-" he shakes his head and moves to side so that I can enter his room, "no it's not dumb, uh since I'm up now you wanna keep me company?" 

"Oh well if it isn't the traitor." I hum as I sit on his bed where paddy was laying, unable to stop the smile that makes it's way to my face as he shuffles forward and drops his head on my lap. "So now you want me?" I ask the dog who whines up at me asking me to pet him. 

"I'm sorry for waking you again." I say to Henry as he sits across from me and pulls his pillow to rest behind his head. "No problem although I thought you'd be the last person I'd go to."

"Well Spencer's working, Daphne's at her boyfriends so." He smiles, "right so I'm your last resort?" He asks, "no, Noah's in his room but you couldn't pay me to climb into his bed, it's probably infested." 

"How are the twins?" I smile thinking of them, "good, business is great and so they're really busy but they were actually telling me that I should invite you around for a catch-up." He smiles and keeps me distracted for a good while by talking about the twins Fred in particular. 

"Hey Henry, when someone makes advances on you that you don't want or appreciate, how do you reject them politely?" I ask what had been on my mind for the past few weeks, I had already asked my cousin Tonks but she just told me to beat whoever it was up. The whole healer Phoenix issue was just getting worse, the touching was increasing and he was doing it so smugly knowing that I hadn't said anything and was unlikely to. 

Henry's eyebrows furrowed at that as he looked at me, "no ones giving you any trouble are they? Healer Phoenix isn't-" I shake my head, "no, no other than trying to mentor me." He looks unsure, "are you sure?" I don't know why I didn't tell him, it was the perfect opportunity. "That's not so bad, he's a dick to everyone else so just be glad you get the special treatment." 

"I know but I'm just not interested in his department I want to go into children's healing which Marianne is the head for meaning she's the perfect mentor for me." 

"If anyone bothers you just come to me, I'll sort them out, I'm pretty intimidating." I laugh, "thanks." 

"No problem, you always say this little group of ours is a family right?"


	90. Chapter 90

"So it's date night, how do we feel?" Spencer jumps as I suddenly make my way into his room and jump onto his bed as he stands in front of the mirror trying to tie his tie. "Oooh fancy." I smile looking at his suit. "I can't tie the stupid thing right." He just throwing his tie away, "um first of all we have magic." I say grabbing his tie off the ground and beginning to do it for him, "and secondly you can tie it, you're just being overly critical because you're nervous which is stupid you have no reason to be." I say smoothing the tie and lowering the collars. 

"Thanks." He smiles calming himself, "no worries, now stop stressing your self out you've been planning this for ages and everything is going to be fine." 

"It can't be just fine, it has to be perfect." He says, "don't put so much pressure on it, all you really need is each other, everything will work out as it's supposed to." He smiles and nods. 

"Ok both of you stand together." I say holding up my camera, "shut up and smile." I say as they roll their eyes and begin grumbling under their breaths. "Oh my, it's one picture stop being such big babies." They comply and I smile once the picture develops. "Can we go now?" I roll my eyes but nod, "yeah, yeah go have fun but not too much fun guys." I joke smiling when they share a look. 

"God she's such a mom." One of them whispers to the other making them both giggle, "hey! I'm not a mum, get out of here already." I say, "also if you guys are gonna be out till late please come back quietly because it's likely the rest of us will be sleeping." Well I mean it was just gonna be Henry and I at home again since Daphne was at Adam.s again. I didn't have anything against Adam but he'd stolen my Daphne and I missed her. 

"Hey I'm going to the twins flat so you have the place to yourself." I say poking my head through Henry's door he looks up from his book and nods as paddy runs over to me, "have fun." I look up from where I'd been petting paddy. "You too." 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey George." I grin as I enter the flat, "oh are you finally acknowledging my existence?" He asks with a smirk making me roll my eyes playfully. "You know that you're my favourite." Now it's his turn to roll his eyes, "you've barely seen me like all year, I only see you when you come to jump into Fred's bed." I laugh and nudge him, "that's not true." 

"Mmhmm if you say so." 

"You know what I'll make it up to you right now." I decide making him look at me expectantly, "we're gonna have that date we arranged ages ago, it's a George and Lyra day today." 

"A George and Lyra day?" I nod, "a George and Lyra day." I confirm making him grin. "hey love, what're we doing today?" Fred asks kissing my temple as he join us. 

I smile up at him noticing how he's fresh out of the shower his hair pretty messy with small water droplets still clinging to it, "move away." I giggle as he begins getting water all over me. "Sorry." He grins shaking his head making me squeal as he laughs at purposefully getting it all over me. "Fred!" He leans down to kiss me again, "sorry love." He murmurs smirking against my skin. 

"So what are we doing today?" He repeats raising one arm to rub his hair with his towel I watch him for a moment admiring the way his arm flexes and how he messes up his hair even more. "We are not doing anything." I manage to say after George nudges me, forcing my attention from his brothers bare chest. "What?" 

"Sorry but I'm spending the day with Georgie." George grins and throws an arm around me as he smirks at Fred, "yeah it's a George and Lyra day today." Fred looks between us and smiles although he decides to pull out the dramatics. 

"Wow Malfoy leaving me for my own brother, I can't believe this." I roll my eyes at him a smile still on my face though, "honestly, I never would've expected this." 

"Well you should've because you've always known that George is the better twin." I say playing along, "unbelievable, this is so unbelievable." I smile as George begins to laugh leaning over my shoulder. "Again it's not so surprising mate, we've established Lyra always loved me more years ago, also we all know that I'm the smarter funnier and better looking twin." I nod along making Fred scoff. 

"I don't think I'll ever be able to get over this betrayal." I can't help it anymore and begin laughing, "ok well we're going now so see you later." He smiles and leans forward to peck my lips. "Alright have fun." He says making me nod and take a step back, before he shakes his head and pulls me back into him. I giggle as my hands land on his chest and he leans down to whisper in my ear. "Not too much fun otherwise I'll have to remind you who the better twin actually is." 

"I already know that." I whisper leaning up to kiss him, "it's George." I say quickly after I pull away, laughing at the face he makes as I grab George's hand and pull him with me.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

George and I end up talking as we made products in the back of the shop, there wasn't actually much to do with the threat of the war looming over everyone like a dark storm cloud, and let's not forget all the death eater attacks, not very many people wanted to go out or even keep their places open because of it. 

"So are Daphne and Adam serious?" I frown at George sympathetically and nod, "they're pretty serious, she spends most of her time with him." He deflates slight at that, but I'd rather tell him the truth then let him get his hopes up. "But don't worry Adam can't compare to you, I'll help get the two of you together if it's the last thing I do." At least that makes George crack a smile, "you and Fred really are perfect for each other." 

"You know I'm glad the two of you ended up together, it was painful seeing you both pine after each other from afar." I laugh, "I never pined after him." I deny as he smirks, "sure, whatever you say Lyra but I saw the longing looks you'd try and hide." 

"Sure." 

"There isn't anyone else I could see him with though, and you're not just a perfect fit for him but the family we all really love you." My heart warms as I smile over at him, "I really love you guys too."


	91. Chapter 91

"Can you believe our end of first year exams are so soon? It's just a few days." I groan and drop my snacks back down as I lean my head on Spencer's shoulder. "Don't remind me." He laughs and picks at the snacks from my plate, "why're you even complaining we all know you'll probably get full marks." I scoff as the others nod, "after all the studying we've been doing I expect full marks from all of you." I say, "yes mother." Spencer says making the others laugh as I roll my eyes. 

"Stop it." Recently all of them had thought it was funny to call me a variant of mum whenever I said anything and it got old fast, well only to me. "Sorry mom." I roll my eyes, "everyone shut up and get one with your studying and so help me the next person to call me mum will get hexed so badly you don't even want to imagine it." They all fell silent after that and I smile smugly to myself flipping the page of my book. 

"Hey guys I brought you all some food because I know how hard Lyra works you." Fred announces entering our house bags of food in his arms, everyone jumps up singing Fred's praises. "Thanks Fred, this is why we love you more." My eyebrows furrow, "Oh why couldn't you be our roommate instead?" I look up trying to figure out who said that, "hey you don't have to live with me, you all begged me to live here but you're free, to go and live with Fred and George in his tiny flat." 

"Hey don't bash my flat, it's not tiny." Fred says, "compared to ours it's tiny." I fire back, "leave the flat alone or no food for you." He teases after handing out everyone's food. "Ok ok I'm sorry." I begrudgingly say, "there's no need to be jealous that they love me more because I love you most." He says supplying me with a cheesy grin which makes me shake my head but grin up at him regardless. 

"Now come on, you guys don't mind if I take Lyra for a bit?" No one wastes anytime time in responding, "no no take her." I scowl at them as they eagerly try and get my boyfriend to take me away, "don't talk with your mouths full!" I snap handing Spencer a napkin as food falls from his mouth, "sorry mo-" he trails off remembering my threat from earlier. 

"I'm not going, our exams are in a few days." Fred sighs as he places the remaining take out bag down, "do we really have to go through this again?" He asks taking a step towards me, "you're gonna over work yourself love." He tells me gently prying my book from my hands, "I just don't want to fail." He sends me a reassuring grin, "you could never, now are you going to come with me willingly or?" 

"Just ten more minutes?" I plead not receiving a verbal response. Instead Fred loops his arm around me before lifting me up and throwing me on his shoulder. "Fred!" I gasp as I hang over his shoulder feeling the blood already beginning to rush to my head. "Sorry love but it's because I care." He says in a mock caring voice but I can hear the smirk in it. "Now if you'd excuse us." He says to my many roommates as he grabs the bag off the table and makes his way to the table.

"Bye." Even though they were now upside down to me I could still see the smiles on all of their faces as they waved me off.

"Where are we going?" I ask as I sway at the steps Fred takes, "it's a surprise." He tells me making me sigh, "not again, your surprises are the worst." At that he makes an unintelligible sound of offence, "um I disagree, my surprises are phenomenal." He says making me laugh, "your surprises are always pranks." I reply which makes him chuckle to himself, "good pranks that is." I roll my eyes, "sure." 

"This isn't a prank though, don't you trust me?" I don't reply for a moment and he lets out another offended sound, "I could drop you right now." He says loosening his hold on me, I clutch onto his torso and let out a squeal, "Fred! Let me down." As soon as I say it regret floods through me as I knew my boyfriend all too well. 

I can practically hear his smirk form, as he shrugs "if you want." I hit the ground with a hmph and glare up at Fred who is stood over me laughing his heart out. "Fred!" 

"What you said to let you down, are you not on the ground?" I roll my eyes and slap his hand away as he tries to help me up. "Very funny." I say which prompts him to smile, "thank you, I thought so too." I try and bite my lip to keep from smiling knowing that if he saw me, it'd get to his already inflated ego. 

"Don't think that I don't see that smile that you're trying to hide." He adds after a moment making me sigh, "shut up." I mumble although I take his hand in mine and link our fingers. 

"So where are we going?" I question once more, "nowhere." He hums making my brows furrow, "nowhere?" He nods, "yeah we're not going anywhere cause we're already here." I let out another sigh as I shake my head at him before he leads me over to what he'd set up. 

There were blankets and pillows on the ground with a small box wrapped up all neatly. I turn to him my words caught in my throat, "what is all this?" 

"Well I know how you get about exams especially when they get closer and I don't want your brain melting or you working yourself to death so I brought you here to stargaze just like we used to back at Hogwarts." I grin over at Fred unsure of how he was just so perfect. 

"And this is a present for you to open once you pass your first year exam which you will." He says handing me the small parcel. "You Fred Weasley are too good to me." I say as I loop my arms around my neck. "Well you deserve it and so much more my love."


	92. Chapter 92

"Here." My eyebrows furrow as Noah hands me a stack of files, "and this is?" I question flicking through them, "for healer Phoenix." My stomach lurches simply at the name. "Great here go give them to him." I force a smile as I shove them back at him. "No you do it, he's so much nicer to you." 

"I can't do it besides he's nice to you too, he says you remind him of younger him." I say turning my back on him, "yuck, don't compare me to that swine again, biggest insult I've ever heard." 

"Swine?" I ask with a laugh, "please take them." He pleads, "I have patients to check on." I say trying to get out of it, "I will check on them." Debating him on this was wasting more time. "Fine." I huff snatching the stupid files from his stupid hands. "Thanks Lyra, love and owe you." He beams leaning over the desk to kiss my cheek, "yeah yeah." I mutter wanting to get this over and done with as soon as possible.

I stare down healer Phoenix's office door, trying to work up the courage, just walk in, set the files down and then leave as fast as possible. 

"Come in." I take a deep breath and ready myself, in and out, I remind myself before shuffling into the office. "Ahh Miss Malfoy what a pleasure, sit sit." Healer Phoenix's whole face lights up once heh spots me. 

"Oh I can't lots of work to do." I say before placing the files down, "oh I'm sure you can spare a moment, sit." I want to cry, because his tone left no room for any disagreement. If it hadn't been healer Phoenix I would've left but it was and he was so much higher up than me, he could end my career before it even began and I had worked so hard for this I couldn't risk it. 

I hated that he had so much authority over me, I hated the power that he was abusing, I hated that even if I even said anything it was so likely that no one would believe me because it would be my word against his and he is a stupid man who's high up in this stupid work place. 

"So your exam is in two days how do you feel?" I force a smile and just hope I can get out of here soon. "Good, I feel prepared." He nods, "you should, you're the brightest in the year and will do brilliantly." 

"Thank you... Um if that's all I really should be-" I sit back down once he waves me too and try and keep my disappointment to myself. 

I drone out whatever he was saying, making sure to reply at the right intervals as I tried to figure out a way to leave. "You know sir I really should be going, I've got some last minute studying to do." I say attempting to stand once more only to wince when he places his hand on my shoulder and pushes me back into the seat. 

"Nonsense you don't need to study anymore, besides if you do I'll help you." That did not sound appealing in the slightest. "Oh no that's ok I-" healer Phoenix has stopped paying attention to me, well rather what I was saying. 

"You know, I think you look better with your hair down." I don't know what to say because I never asked, "thank you but-" my words are cut off once more as he pulls my wand from my hair causing it so spill downwards. My heart starts to beat a mile a minute, I feel so uncomfortable, he has my wand I need that, I can't leave without it. My wand was like a safety blanket I needed it and felt awfully exposed without it. 

"Healer Phoenix-" Anger begins to burn up in me as he puts a finger to my lips to shush me. "Now about your exams..." His words fade to a low hum as his fingers move down my face, my heartbeat drums in my ears, I can feel it in my throat, in my brain drumming over and over and I just feel overall sick. 

"𝘋𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨!" My brain screams at me from over the hammering that is my heart. "Um I have to go." I say standing abruptly, my eyes screw shut once he grabs me by the arm and holds me in place. 

"Stop it!" I say trying to fight his grip as he begins to kiss down my neck, "what are you doing?" I ask wrestling myself out of his hold, "don't you think I deserve something for all the help I have given you?" I step back quickly glancing at my wand that was laying on his desk. "N-no, you don't 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 anything from me." 

"I-" 

"You were doing what was supposed to be your job, you're supposed to teach us and it's not my fault you gave me extra attention or whatever I didn't ask for it and I didn't want it and I never ever promised you anything in return." I say trying to keep my distance, the touching was horrifically inappropriate but that I could deal with, this I could not, I don't care I didn't deserve it. 

"You owe me!" I flinch slightly as he raises his voice and steps closer, "no I don't." I say trying to keep my voice steady as my eyes burned but I wouldn't cry, not in front of him. "You are where you are because of me." He sneers as he traps me against the wall, "I'm where I am because of me, because I work hard." I say which prompts him to harshly slam me back, "you're here because of me." He repeats as I shake my head. 

"Just let me go! I said no, I don't want this." I cry out trying to push him off of me once more as he tries to force himself on me once more. It works and he falls to the floor so I make a beeline to the door, I just had to get out of here I could get my wand back another way. 

My hand touches the handle before I feel a tug on my ankle, I cry out as I fall face first as he drags me down, no I was so close, so close. I scream out and kick my legs as he pulls me back towards him. "Let me go!" I scream hoping someone will hear, "shut up!" He says hitting me across the face. 

"Help!" I shout even louder not taking into account as his face burns red as his rage at me grows. "I told you to be quiet!" He says his hands finding their way to my throat, "I swear to merlin shut your mouth before I kill you." He hisses as he cuts of my air supply. Tears roll down my face as I claw at his hands my vision beginning to cloud. 

"Are you going to be quiet?" He asks making me nod gasping for air once he releases my throat, "good girl." He murmurs stroking my hair as I clamp my eyes shut and turn my head to stop the tears. 

Maybe I should've let myself lose consciousness. 

"There's no point in screaming, no one will help you, you have no one. Maybe once I would've been afraid of your father but you're not on speaking terms are you." He's taunting me and I'm trying so hard not to let it get to me, "nobody cares about you, you're no one, nothing, all alone." I can't just give up I can't give in, I can't let him win. 

"I'm not alone." I rasp, I wasn't alone I had Daphne, I had Fred and George and all of the Weasleys, I had Spencer Noah and Henry. I had plenty of people and they would believe me, they would be there for me. 

I use all of my energy wrestling to get free, or trying to stall hoping someone, anyone would walk in so I could get away. But if I was going to go down then I was going to go fighting.

"Hey healer Phoenix have you seen Ly..." Healer Phoenix freezes over me and I quickly scramble out from under him so extremely relieved for Noah who's face has dropped at what he's just walked in on. 

He quickly pulls me behind him and glares at healer Phoenix who is trying to compose himself. "What do you think you're doing?" He asks in a hard tone as I grip the one arm he was holding in front of me feeling as though my adrenaline would run out soon and that I'd pass out. 

"C'mon Noah you know how it is." He's trying to be charming well trying and failing Noah grows angrier by the second, his fists balled up so tightly I feared his knuckles may tear from his skin. The only thing stopping him from attacking the older man was me and my grip on his arm. 

"No I don't know 'how it is.'" He spits taking small steps back so that we can leave, "Noah my boy, you and me were one in the same and whatever you're thinking about isn't worth common trash like her." Not even I can hold Noah back now. He storms forwards and attacks healer Phoenix, "we are not one in the same, I'm nothing like you! You're the trash here not Lyra, she is my family and she is worth everything." He spews hatefully. 

"Noah stop it!" Healer Phoenix definitely deserved this but I didn't want Noah to get into trouble he had told me how hard he had worked to prove to everyone that he wasn't like his father. And if he got into trouble for this then everything he worked for would be undone. I didn't mind getting in trouble for this but I'd be dammed if Noah threw his whole career away. 

The fight between the two intensifies, the two men tumbling out into the corridors for everyone to see. 

"Hey hey what's happening? What happened to your face?" Henry and Spencer ask running over as they spot the commotion, I can't speak, I don't know what to say and I really do not want to cry in front of the crowd that was forming.

"J-just separate them before someone sees." They pull Noah up who's still shouting at healer Phoenix, "Noah calm down, what happened?" They ask, "he happened, I found him- I found that sick son of a bitch forcing himself on her, he was hurting her and she was trying to get free." He says tearfully probably at repressed memories of his father harming his mother made their way to him. 

I wrap my arms around myself and try to disappear as they turn to me, "are you ok?" I go to answer when a chuckle catches everyone's attention, "of course she's ok, she wanted it." Healer Phoenix supplies making Henry's jaw clenched. 

"You're a liar! She said no, I heard her she was repeating it." Noah shouts at him but he ignored him and turned to look me dead in the eye, "you owe me everything." He tells me venomously, "I owe you nothing, I'm here because I worked extremely hard to be here." I reply as Henry storms over and knocks him out cold with one punch. 

"What's is going on here?!" Marianne says as she joins us all, "don't you all have jobs to be doing? Scram!" Everyone dispersed except the four of us and unconscious healer Phoenix as Marianne turns to us her hands on her hips. 

"I thought you had learnt after last time, your actions reflect on me guys." She complains before her eyes land on me and they widen, she observes the scene and sighs as Phoenix begins to stir. "Um ok, boys all of you leave, take Lyra away and I will handle all of this." She says sending me a sympathetic but reassuring smile. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

We make our way through the hospital until we find ourselves in a dark corridor and I can't hold it in anymore. My adrenaline is long gone and my legs fail me and so I sink to the ground a sobbing mess as everything hits me. 

"What do we do?" The boys whisper between themselves as they sit around me, Henry had gone to grab me but hesitated his hands now hovering as they all watch me fearfully wanting to help but not knowing how. 

"I-I'm sorry." I say through cries the three of them quick to assure me. "You asked me and I- I told you that I was fine I told you that-" Henry shakes his head at me, "this isn't your fault, you didn't do anything wrong Lyra. This is all his fault, he's older than you, he's stronger than you he had more authority and power than you. He knew what he was doing he used it all to his advantage and it's not your fault." I nod, "but if I had told somebody-" 

"It doesn't matter, it shouldn't have happened in the first place, no matter what it's not your fault." The three of them assure me. "Can we just go home?" I ask smiling once they nod and help me up. 

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"Hey you can um go and do whatever it is you need to, we'll leave you alone and call Fred for you." Henry says as we get home, "no!" They all turn to me in surprise, "sorry, but you can't tell him not yet, he has a really important meeting tomorrow and this will distract him, I'll tell him after, so promise me you guys won't say anything." They promise and leave me be like they also promised although I didn't really want to be alone at the moment because being alone in the silence left room for everything to creep in and remind me of every shitty thing that just happened. I'd already taken like a hundred showers yet I still felt dirty, maybe I always would, merlin I hoped not.

I feel beyond relived when Noah knocks on my door. I jump up and wipe my tears turning to the nervous boy stood at my doorway. 

"Noah?" I ask confused by his face that told me he'd very clearly been crying too. "I know you probably don't want to see me right now but I'm so sorry, I never should've sent you with the files, I just I should've known or something I-" I cut off his teary eyed apology with a hug, this wasn't his fault I knew that and he should too. 

"It's not your fault Noah, you couldn't have known, it- it'd been going on for a while and would've reached this point regardless, and if it weren't for you I wouldn't have gotten away so thank you, you actually helped me." He sniffles as we hug, "I didn't do anything you're the fighter." 

"What's on your mind?" I ask once he's calmed, "I don't wanna bother you, you're going through stuff and you don't need to hear about my problems." I shake my head, "I want to hear about it, it'll help me keep my mind of mine." 

"It's just guys like that, like him, like my dad they're the worst and I promised myself I'd never be like, but seeing what he did it all just flashed back, everything my dad would do to my mom all the times he hurt her. And how I could never help her because I was too small, too weak too powerless. She was strong like you and kind she was always kind no matter what and she always tried to keep a smile on her face. She tried so hard to fight for me, she tried to take all his anger so I wouldn't have to but it wasn't enough in the end he took her from me and there was nothing I could do." 

I frown and grab his hand, "you should eat something." He says after we sit in silence for a while both of us comforting each other without having to say anything. "I'm not hungry." I say still feeling completely nauseous. "I won't get you a lot but you need to eat and then I'll heal you." I nod, "hey Noah thanks again." I say as I hug him once more he nods and kisses the top of my head lightly, "hey." I call out once he reaches the door, "can you tell the others to come sit with me too, I just really don't want to be alone." He nods.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

I must've dozed off because I didn't remember the boys ever coming back and next thing I knew I was shooting up from my bed staring into the darkness after a nightmare involving the events of the day. "Lyra? It's ok we're here." Daphne sleepily mumbles as she reaches out for me. "Daphne?" I question confused. "You were sleeping when Sophia and I got here but the boys told us about how you didn't want to be alone and that we weren't allowed to tell Fred yet, also we already know that you're more susceptible to nightmares so we all stayed so you wouldn't wake up alone." My eyes water as they adjust to the dark and see that Sophia and Daphne were on either side of my bed whereas Spencer and Noah were curled up together on the floor and Henry was snoring softly in the chair across the room. Even paddy was here at the end of the bed sleeping soundly. 

I really loved these guys and didn't know what I'd do without them. "Spencer wanted to sleep with you like we always do but he didn't want to make you uncomfortable so he chose his boyfriend instead." She adds as he stirs a bit from his place on the ground. 

"Thanks." I whisper as I lay back down, "you're my sister it's what we do." 

𝙎𝙤 𝙪𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙄 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙢 𝙨𝙤 𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙨 𝙢𝙚, 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙝 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙜 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤.


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